Kathmandu, January 23 The World Bank Group and Global Partnership for Education have jointly agreed to provide a grant assistance of US $ 63.3 million (approximately Rs 6.7 billion) to the Government of Nepal for implementation of the School Sector Reform Programme and upcoming School Sector Development Plan. The agreement to this effect was signed between Government of Nepal and the World Bank Group at the Ministry of Finance, Kathmandu, yesterday. The Government of Nepal has been executing SSRP under Sector Wide Approach modality since 2009 with its objective of improving literacy for all in general and deprived communities in particular and ensuring free and compulsory basic as well as quality education. This grant aid will be an important source of funding to continue SSRP activities. The grant support comprises of US S 59.3 million from Global Partnership for Education and US $ 4 million from Result in Education for all Children- Multi-donor Trust Fund, totaling to US $ 63.3 million. According to a press release issued by the World Bank Country Office in Kathmandu, the objective of the proposed grant is to increase access to and improve quality of school education, particularly basic education (Grade 1-8), especially for children from marginalized groups. The activities cover basic and secondary education as well as institutional capacity strengthening. The fund will be mobilized through SSRP financial modalities and executed by the Department of Education. The grant agreement was signed by Baikuntha Aryal, Joint Secretary, IECCD, Ministry of Finance and Takuya Kamata, Country Manager of World Bank on behalf of the Government of Nepal and the Bank, respectively. The Government of Nepal has expressed a sincere appreciation to the World Bank Group and Global Partnership for Education for this assistance and also for its continued support to socio-economic development of Nepal.