From constitution to classroom: Education policy gaps persist after ten years
Summary
Nearly ten years after the Constitution, Nepal's education sector faces policy gaps and management challenges due to the failure to enact the Education Act and complexities arising from federalism and local governance.
Key Points
- Nepal's failure to enact the Education Act as per the Constitution has hindered significant progress in the education sector over the past decade.
- The Constitution guarantees free and compulsory education up to secondary level and rights to education in mother tongues, yet local bodies face readiness issues managing education.
- Education Policy 2019 increased local ownership of education, but uniformity challenges persist, especially in Class 8 examinations under federalism.
- Rapid opening of central and provincial universities without proper assessment has created management challenges in higher education, with little curriculum reform.
- The Nepal Teachers’ Association highlights conflicts arising from municipalities managing education in the absence of a federal Education Act.
