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Remarks by HE Mr. Zenji KAMINAGA Ambassador of Japan to Nepal On the School Building Handing-over Ceremony of Shree Krishna Secondary School Pipaldanda VDC, Jheskang, Palpa District Monday, February 10, 2003
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District Education Officer
Mr. Kazumasa Kakimi, Japanese Volunteer
Mr. Chhabi Lal Chidi, President, Jheskang Development Committee
Mr. Tulsiram Rana, Chairperson, School Management Committee
Head Master, Shree Krishna Secondary School, Jheskang
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is indeed a great pleasure for me to visit Shree Krishna Secondary School on the occasion of the handing-over ceremony of its new building. I would like to extend my special thanks to the School Management Committee for inviting me on this auspicious occasion.
First of all, I would like to commend the contribution made by Shree Krishna Secondary School, in promoting education to the students of Pipaldanda and Phoksingkot VDCs of Palpa district for over three decades. I understand that this school, located in the remote part of Western Nepal, had its school building in a dilapidated condition with insufficient classrooms and space. In order to respond to this problem, the Embassy of Japan extended financial support in FY 2001, under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) scheme of the Government of Japan, which enabled the construction of a new school building. Today, I am delighted to be able to hand over the new school building to the School Management Committee. The new two-storied building equipped with 12 classrooms is expected to create a more conducive study environment. I hope that the school will be able to fully utilize the classrooms for further enhancement of education for the children of Pipaldanda and Phoksingkot VDCs of Palpa district.
With an adult literacy rate of only 41.8 percent in Nepal (UNDP HDR 2002), education promotion is not a matter of choice but an imperative for economic and social development. Education is important because it provides direct benefits to the welfare of the people. Furthermore, it plays a key role in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and in increasing the awareness of these benefits. The lack of education may limit the awareness of these benefits. I hope that Shree Krishna Secondary School will focus its resources and energy in promoting education in this region.
May I take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the Jheskang Development Committee for successfully executing the construction work efficiently and timely. I would also like to express my appreciation to Mr. Kazumasa Kakimi for his initiation and great care in realizing this project.
My expression of thanks and gratitude goes to all the concerned people for their active involvement in the successful completion of the construction of this school building. I sincerely believe that the school as well as community people will make a concerted effort to ensure proper management and maintenance of this school with a feeling of ownership and self-help. I hope that this newly constructed school building will kindle further friendly relations between the Kingdom of Nepal and Japan.
Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes to the school for further success in education promotion in this region.
Thank you.
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