What are possible models for Nepal’s education system in the future federal state structure?
This question is at the center of the new two year project “Planning effective delivery of education in a federal state” that UNESCO will present at a meeting on 30 May 2013.
Funded with a budget of USD 378,000 by the United Nations Peace Fund for Nepal (UNPFN), the project contributes to Nepal’s peace and development process by fostering constructive dialogue and planning leading to progress in constitution making.
“This initiative provides a strategic contribution towards achieving the long term structural transformation embedded in the Comprehensive Peace Accord that are necessary for the state to be able to deliver gender sensitive, human rights based and inclusive quality basic services, such as education”, says Axel Plathe, UNESCO Representative to Nepal and the Head of UNESCO Office in Kathmandu.
“The project aims to plan an effective delivery of education in a future federal state by fostering a constructive dialogue and planning leading to progress in Constitution making by focusing on effective delivery of inclusive quality education”, says Tap Raj Pant, National Programme Office for Education at UNESCO Office in Kathmandu.
Working with six implementing partners, the project will contribute to a better understanding of issues related to the implications of different federalism options on the education system. It will provide models, plans and coordination mechanisms and build the capacity of the Ministry of Education to plan, implement and monitor the restructuring of the education system.
A “Education and Federalism Support Group”, established by UNESCO in 2008 as one of the first expert groups taking up specific federalism related issues, had earlier identified a variety of issues that need to be addressed when discussing education in a federal system. They include the costing of the education system and resource transfers, the way teacher training is to be organized, the responsibilities related to curriculum development, the architecture of the governance structure; staffing and recruitment of qualified teachers; and issues related to oversight and accountability.
The project is being managed by the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu in close partnership with the Ministry of Education, the National Planning Commission and the Nepal National Commission for UNESCO.
For more information, please visit the webpage belowwww.unesco.org/new/en/kathmandu/education/unpfn-education-and-federalism-project/)
