Kathmandu, April 28: Stakeholders in Nepal’s education sector have called on the government to allocate at least 20% of the national budget to education in the upcoming fiscal year.
Speaking at an interaction programme organised by the National Campaign for Education (NCE) Nepal on Monday, participants said current funding levels are insufficient to ensure fundamental education rights and meet international commitments.
NCE Nepal Chair Lab Raj Oli urged the government to prioritise education in the next budget. Similarly, former government secretary Hari Lamsal stressed that investment in education delivers long-term returns and should be strengthened through conditional planning at the local level.
NCE has long advocated increased funding to support free tuition, mid-day meals, scholarships, first aid services, and essential educational materials—key components for implementing compulsory and free education.
However, concerns were raised about the effective use of resources. Toshima Karki, a member of Parliament’s Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee, noted that increased funding alone will not guarantee quality education. She emphasised the need to keep schools free from partisan politics while supporting gradual budget expansion.
Krishna Prasad Sharma, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Finance, said allocating 20% of the budget immediately is not feasible, but assured that investment in education would increase progressively.
Sarita Devi Sharma, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, also acknowledged that current funding is inadequate for delivering quality education.
Adding another dimension, Kritika Dhital of the National Adolescent Girls’ Network highlighted that resources alone are insufficient without skilled teachers. She noted that many tools—such as projectors, smartboards, laptops, and bicycles—remain underutilised in community schools due to lack of capacity. #Nepal #education
