Call to improve reading skills of school kids
Published: 12:18 pm Apr 28, 2022
KATHMANDU, APRIL 27
The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, US- AID's Early Grade Reading Programme (USAID EGRP II), and other development partners convened a high-level event at Singha Durbar, in Kathmandu, today.
The event marked the closing of USAID EGRP II and celebrated seven years of collaboration and achievements of the National Early Grade Reading Programme.
In 2015, the USAID and the Government of Nepal embarked on a seven-year journey to support the MOEST for interventions designed to improve the reading skills of Nepali primary school children, according to a press release issued by the US Embassy in Nepal.
MOEST Joint Secretary Hari Lamsal said, 'In the last seven years, the National Early Grade Reading Programme supported the implementation of revised curriculum, developed municipal education plans and ensured access to quality teaching and learning in half of Nepal's schools.'
USAID/Nepal Mission Director Sepideh Keyvanshad said, 'Over the past seven years, the partnership between the Government of Nepal and the USAID through the National Early Grade Reading Programme has led to tangible improvements in learning for Nepal's children in the foundational early grades of primary school even in the face of substantial adversity during the pandemic.'
'As we celebrate 75 years of partnership between the Government of Nepal and the US government, we look forward to working in accordance with the spirit of strong collaboration. We look forward to supporting the ministry's goal of improving every child's reading skills by 2030 as outlined in the School Education Sector Plan 2021-2030,' Keyvanshad remarked.
The United States first started partnering with the Government of Nepal in education sector in the late 1950s with the founding of the College of Education.
Since then, the US government has been collaborating closely and supporting the Government of Nepal to improve the quality of education in the country.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 28, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.