Dr Mana Prasad Wagley

Educationist

Every year education sector gets the highest share of the national budget in social sector. The current year’s budget has been worth Rs 21.25 billion, which is around 17 per cent of the total national budget.

With this budget, the government is spending Rs 2,900 per student per year at the primary level and Rs 3,300 per student per year in the secondary level. Most of these expenses are consumed by teachers’ salaries. Schools do not get a budget for developmental activities. Even if they get it under certain headings of ongoing expensive projects they are directly controlled by the center without letting them decide their needs.

Comparing the progress against these expenses, the results are deplorable.

Since standards are not set and responsible authorities are not made accountable the expenditure in education sector for the past two decades have been just like pouring water in desert.

MOE officials decide how much to spend on what. No stakeholders are involved in deciding the programmes and the budget. Implementing agents have no say in it. It is just like the grace given by the MOE to its downward echelons.

Even after the loktantrantic andolan the feudality of the MOE remains the same because it has already submitted its budget for next fiscal year in the same pattern.

Needs should be identified, priorities should be set up and budgets should be allocated based on wide consultations with stakeholders.

Unnecessary foreign travel, seminars and workshops should be curtailed and money should be allocated to poor people’s education.