What local governments can do to reform school education
Summary
Local governments in Nepal have constitutional authority over basic and secondary education, but experts say many have yet to use it fully to improve school quality, management and teacher transfers. Suryodaya Municipality is cited as a model for investing heavily in education and reducing political interference in school governance.
Key Points
- Education experts say local governments should not wait for the long-pending Federal Education Act to reform school education, because the constitution already gives them authority over basic and secondary education.
- Local governments are responsible for managing school education, monitoring schools, improving quality, and implementing local education programmes under the Constitution of Nepal, 2015.
- Experts say many local governments are not fully using these powers because of weak vision and bureaucratic obstacles, including disputes over teacher transfers.
- Suryodaya Municipality is presented as an exemplary case for investing in education, limiting partisan interference, and improving learning outcomes.
