KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 23

UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST), held a two-day validation workshop on 21-22 October 2024 to finalize a new resource book on Local Education Planning. The workshop brought together over 30 policymakers, experts, development partners, and government representatives to enhance the capacity of local municipalities in designing and implementing education plans that cater to diverse populations.

This comprehensive resource book aims to empower municipalities across Nepal to design and implement education plans to their local needs, fostering transformative, inclusive, and sustainable education systems.

Emphasizing the importance of the workshop, Deepak Sharma, Director General of CEHRD, the ministry of education's Center for Education and Human Resource Development, stated, 'Our goal is to orient and guide all municipalities in developing their local education plans. The government already has a planning guideline in place, and this resource book will help in materializing and implementing the plan.' Similarly, Baikuntha Aryal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education Science and Technology highlight the need of additional resource to facilitate the process of local education planning.

After the federalization, Nepal advances in decentralizing its education system and local governments are tasked with developing localized education plans. To ensure these plans are inclusive and aligned with international commitments, UNESCO has been supporting local governments in both the development and implementation of these plans. The resource book, now being finalized, will be instrumental in supporting local governments effectively plan and implement education systems that cater to diverse populations, including women, youth, and marginalized communities. This workshop is crucial in ensuring that the resource book reflects the diverse educational needs of municipalities.

From the lessons learned through the development of the local education plan and the appraisal done thereafter for the pilot municipalities, and international practices, it provides actionable guidance for local governments beyond the targeted areas. Through group discussions, analysis, and presentations, policymakers, experts, development partners and government officials have contributed valuable input to shape the final resource book. This practical guide will support local governments to create, appraise, and implement education plans tailored to their specific contexts.

'It is important that the guidelines in the resource book are relevant and practical for all local governments. The book must address local contexts, potential gaps, and provide guidance during the development and implementation of local education plans,' said Am Gagnon- Senior Programme Specialist -Data and Evidence Lead from UNESCO's International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts between UNESCO, Nepal's government, and IIEP for the future of education in Nepal.

The initiative to develop contextualized, inclusive education plans began with an orientation in December 2022, guiding local and provincial governments in prioritizing educational needs. These plans address formal and non-formal education, climate change, culture, ethnicity, gender, and youth perspectives. Building on this momentum, seven municipalities representing all seven provinces of Nepal have already developed their education plans. The training and guidance provided by IIEP have been instrumental in enhancing the technical skills of local government officials in areas such as planning, resource management, and budgeting.

Other municipalities across Nepal are also in the process of developing their plans. UNESCO and IIEP's technical support have been key in bridging the gap between local education needs and national policies, empowering local leaders to create education plans rooted in indigenous knowledge and enhanced by digital tools like media and information literacy.

Reiterating the collaboration between UNESCO and the government for strengthening education systems, particularly at the policy level, Dhruba Raj Regmi, Chief of Education at UNESCO, stressed on the development of a singular guiding book to further extend and compliment the efforts. 'There's an urgent need for practical, user-friendly guidelines for all local bodies. Once finalized, the resource book in development will support these efforts to enhance education at the local level in Nepal,' Regmi stated.

Through the Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Literacy Programme, funded by Government of Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland, UNESCO successfully assisted seven local government bodies from across Nepal in formulating gender-responsive and inclusive education plans last year. Building on this progress, the current workshop is pivotal in finalizing the resource book. Once validated, this book will be a valuable asset for local government across Nepal, providing them with the tools and knowledge to create context-driven, inclusive education plans.

This initiative is a demonstration of the ongoing collaboration between UNESCO, MoEST, and local governments, ensuring that education in Nepal is both equitable and forward-looking, contributing to a more inclusive and transformative future.