February 24, 2012
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Japan Assists for Basic Education Improvement in Support of School Sector Reform in Nepal |
The Government of Japan has decided to extend a grant assistance of nine hundred and thirty million Japanese yen (¥930,000,000), equivalent to approximately nine hundred and ten million, four hundred and seventy thousand Nepalese rupees (NRs.910,470,000) in Japan’s FY 2011, to the Government of Nepal for the implementation of the Project for Basic Education Improvement in Support of School Sector Reform in Nepal.
Notes to this effect were signed and exchanged today between His Excellency Mr. Kunio TAKAHASHI, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, and Mr. Krishna Hari Baskota, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of their respective Governments.
The Project being extended today includes both the Grant and the Technical Assistance under the Modality of Japan’s Grant Aid for Community Empowerment of the Government of Japan. Under the Grant, the procurement of necessary materials for the construction of 700 classrooms will be made. The targeted eight districts are - Sunsari, Sarlahi, Dhading, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Nawalparasi, Banke and Kailali. In addition, 4,200 sets of desks and benches and 4,000 round tables for lower grades will be supplied under the Project. The Technical Assistance, a significant component and the feature of the Project, is planned to utilize capacity, experience and lessons learnt from the pervious “Support for Improvement of Primary School Management (SISM) Project” which was implemented in Dhading, Rasuwa and Siraha Districts during FY 2008 to FY 2011. The new Project, will feature activities such as capacity development of School Management Committees members, Parents Teachers Association (PTA) members, education administrators and teachers. The combination of the hardware support and technical assistance is expected to be a good model for school improvement in general.
In the past, the Government of Japan provided grant aid to Nepal for the implementation of the following education related projects: Basic and Primary Education Program (BPEP) from FY1994 to FY1997 (BPEP I); FY1999 to FY2001 (BPEP II); Project for the Construction of Primary Schools in Support of Education for All (EFA) from FY2003 to FY2005; and the Project for Construction of Primary Schools in Support of Education for All (EFA) (Phase II) in FY2008. To date, a total of 8,768 classrooms, 136 resource centers, and 2,112 toilet blocks have been constructed and 1,024 water supply units installed, along with necessary furniture in 37 districts with grant worth of 7.1 billion Japanese yen which is equivalent to approximately 7.13 billion Nepalese Rupees.
These Projects had a supplementary role in contributing to the development of basic and primary education in Nepal by successfully constructing primary schools; regarded as an important factor in achieving improved access to basic and primary education. The aim of these Projects was to improve access to primary schools and the quality of basic and primary education in the targeted districts through the improvement of the physical facilities.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Takahashi expressed his firm hope that the grant extended today will contribute in meeting the national concern of the Government of Nepal and international commitments in the education sector emphasizing equitable access by 2015. In addition, he also hoped that the continued Japanese economic cooperation to Nepal would accelerate the socio-economic development programs of the Government of Nepal, thereby, strengthening the existing friendly relations between Japan and Nepal.
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