Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, July 12:

With the success of the Oil for Education programme for the girl child run by the Food for Education (FfE) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the Oil for Education quota is being increased by 32,600 and being introduced in three more districts in the fiscal year 20005/06.

Earlier 102,700 children (girls) were benefiting from the programme. Now with the expansion and the increased quota, a total of 135,300 girls will benefit from it. The programme will be introduced in the districts of Bajhang, Bajura and Achham. The programme was being run in 11 districts till date. According to an FfE survey of 2002, the enrolment of girls in the districts increased by 28 per cent. Under the Oil for Education programme being run under Girls’ Incentive Programme, each girl student receives two litres of oil a month if she attends school regularly and her attendance is clocked at 80 per cent. All students are given 110 gram of halwa a day. “The reasons for the increase could be scholarships, free clothing and other incentive packages introduced by the government,” said Bhuwaneshwor Pradhan, administrative officer at FfE. But he said two litres of oil means a lot to people living in remote

areas. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education and Sports, Laba Prasad Tripathee, said the programme has been very successful and girls’ enrolment has increased in districts with the programmes.