Abstract
Nepal, once seen as an “education virginland,” has made rapid progress over the years in establishing an education system. After Nepal emerged from the Rana rule in 1951, one of the first ambitions of the new, multiparty democratic regime was to institute a national, uniform, and universal system of education in the country. The establishment of the Ministry of Education with external assistance and the National Education Planning Commission laid the foundation of an education system that brought together diverse schools being run by local communities. The structure of school education and the policy frameworks governing them has been gradually evolving in tandem with the global norms and policy influence of development partners.
This chapter provides a critical-historical overview of the development and institutionalization of modern education in Nepal. The developments made with regards to improving access to education, equity, and quality of education are presented. The chapter also presents the constitutional and legal frameworks that make education a right of every citizen of Nepal and discusses the institutional evolution of the governance structures related to regulation and funding of school education. Critical issues related to education privatization and the role of donor agencies is highlighted.
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Bhatta, P., Mehendale, A. (2021). The Status of School Education in Nepal. In: Sarangapani, P.M., Pappu, R. (eds) Handbook of Education Systems in South Asia. Global Education Systems. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0032-9_16
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