KATHMANDU, JUNE 7

Minister of Education, Science, and Technology Devendra Paudel has said Nepal's efforts are geared towards revamping all levels and structures of education for the transformation of society built on social justice, peace, prosperity, equality, and women's rights.

In his address to the 2nd Asia Pacific Regional Education Ministers Conference jointly organised by the UNESCO, UNICEF and the Thai Government in Bangkok, the minister expressed hope that the event would be able to find a sustainable pathway towards the attainment of Education 2030/SDG and to address the current and emerging challenges that the region was collectively facing by revamping the education structures and approaches.

He took time to highlight the need to launchcomprehensive reforms to address the learning crisis, which include measures such as conducive legal framework and clear procedures, customised curriculum that safeguards the core learning of children, allocation of additional budget, and development of ICT based learning materials.

'Back home, education is enshrined as a fundamental right of every citizen in the constitution.

We are preparing to launch the School Education Sector Plan (ESP 2022-2030) from July 2022, which aims to strengthen the resilience of our education system by mainstreaming conflict and disaster risk reduction measures into our education policies, programmes, curricula and pedagogy,' he apprised the session.

'We aim to enhance emergency preparedness and response capacities of education authorities and stakeholders at all levels of government and protect those who are on the verge of marginalisation and exclusion.'

He explained, Nepal has enacted the Free and Compulsory Education Act -2018 and formulated the National Education Policy-2019 to implement constitutional rights to compulsory and free basic education up to Grade VIII and free secondary education up to Grade XII. Besides, it has assured free higher education to those who are economically poor and to persons with disabilities. Reminding of the devastating and unprecedented consequences across the globe due to the COVID pandemic, he stressed the need to revamp the education system.

'Along with the existing policy provisions, education itself needs to transform with enabling and equitable policy, good governance, increased parental and community development, accelerated curriculum and diversified delivery approaches.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 8, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.