Kathmandu, October 15

National Youth Policy-2015 recently introduced by the government assures access to education for youth by gradually taking initiatives to make education up to the higher secondary level free and compulsory.

The National Youth Policy-2015, which was approved by the Cabinet meeting on October 6, outlines various plans and strategies for the overall development of youth.

As per the policy, Nepali citizens between 16 and 40 years of age are called youth. They comprise 40.3 per cent of the total population of the country. It says school education would be made scientific, practical and skill-oriented to enable youth to make a living after completion of high secondary education.

Stating that Nepal has great hydropower and tourism potential, it adds that the government, as per the policy, would focus on practical education and establish technical schools. The government would also provide educational loans to youth and set up open universities.

The policy states that scholarships and educational loans would be provided to students on the basis of merit. Similarly, the government will also run various educational programmes to produce skilled manpower.

Likewise, the policy envisages special educational programmes targeting Nepali migrants working in foreign countries, involvement of youth as volunteers for urban development, appropriate skill-based trainings and literacy classes for youth who have not been able to gain formal education and increased use of Information Technology in education.

The government had earlier endorsed National Youth Policy 2010, which has been scrapped after introduction of National Youth Policy-2015.