Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 15:

Japan has extended a grant of $68,288 (equivalent to Rs 4,804,744) to Masyam Village Development Committee for the construction of Saraswati Primary School building at Masyam VDC of Palpa district.

The grant comes in Japan’s fiscal year 2005 under the grant assistance for grassroots human security projects (GGP) scheme of the government of Japan, according to Japanese embassy in Kathmandu.

Tsutomu Hiraoka, Japanese ambassador to Nepal and Dam Bahadur Karki, secretary at Masyam VDC signed and exchanged the grant contract today.

The grant will be utilised for the construction of a two and half storey school building consisting of 10 rooms and a separate toilet building. The grant will also cover procurement of furniture for the classrooms, library and school office.

It is to be noted that the government of Japan provided the grant aid to Nepal for the construction of a total of 5,498 classrooms in 25 districts under the Basic and Primary Education Programme -BPEP I and II.

In addition, Japan has been supporting the construction of primary schools in support of ‘Education for All by 2015’ campaign of Nepal since FY 2003. The project aims to enable improved access for primary students and to enable an increased quality of basic and primary education in 15 districts.

Palpa district is not covered by the above-mentioned programmes. Thus the efforts of Masyam VDC and Saraswati Primary School to enhance basic and primary education will be supported by the GGP programme. Out of the total cost of Rs 6,412,122, the Masyam VDC, the school and the community will contribute up to 25 per cent of the cost, which includes locally available material required for the construction and labour cost.

Speaking on the occasion, envoy Hiraoka stress-ed on the need to promote education for the economic and social development of Nepal. He alsosaid that Saraswati Primary School, with an improved lear-ning environment and with easy access now accorded to the students, villagers and other people in the region, will be able to create awareness.