Kathmandu, Oct 23: UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST), convened a two-days validation working sessions on 21-22 October 2024, bringing together over thirty policymakers, experts, development partners and government representatives to finalize a resource book on Local Education Planning.
This comprehensive resource book aims to empower municipalities across Nepal to design and implement education plans to their local needs, fostering transformative, inclusive, and sustainable education systems.
Emphasizing the importance of the workshop, Deepak Sharma, Director General of CEHRD, the ministry of education’s Center for Education and Human Resource Development, stated, “Our goal is to orient and guide all municipalities in developing their local education plans.
The government already has a planning guideline in place, and this resource book will help in materializing and implementing the plan.”
Similarly, Baikuntha Aryal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education Science and Technology highlighted the need of additional resource to facilitate the process of local education planning. After the federalization, Nepal advances in decentralizing its education system and local governments are tasked with developing localized education plans.
To ensure these plans are inclusive and aligned with international commitments, UNESCO has been supporting local governments in both the development and implementation of these plans.
The resource book will be instrumental in supporting local governments effectively plan and implement education systems that cater to diverse populations, including women, youth, and marginalized communities.
From the lessons learned through the development of the local education plan and the appraisal done thereafter for the pilot municipalities, and international practices, it provides actionable guidance for local governments beyond the targeted areas.
Through group discussions, analysis, and presentations, policymakers, experts, development partners and government officials have contributed valuable input to shape the final resource book.
This practical guide will support local governments to create, appraise, and implement education plans tailored to their specific contexts.
“It is important that the guidelines in the resource book are relevant and practical for all local governments.
The book must address local contexts, potential gaps, and provide guidance during the development and implementation of local education plans,” said Am Gagnon- Senior Programme Specialist -Data and Evidence Lead from UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts between UNESCO, Nepal’s government, and IIEP for the future of education in Nepal.
The initiative to develop contextualized, inclusive education plans began with an orientation in December 2022, guiding local and provincial governments in prioritizing educational needs.
These plans address formal and non-formal education, climate change, culture, ethnicity, gender, and youth perspectives.
Building on this momentum, seven municipalities representing all seven provinces of Nepal have already developed their education plans. #education #nepal #inclusion #rss
