- Number of priamry schools 25.000 (1999) - 31.000 (2008)
- Number of lower secondary schools 7200 (1999) - 10.600 (2008)
- Number of higher secondary schools 4000 (1999) - 6500 (2008)
- Priamry school enrollment: 85% (2004) -, 91,9% (2008)
- literacy rate overall: 63,7%
- literacy rate male: 68,5%
- literacy rate female: 42,5%
Education:
In the meantime it is well-acknowledged in international development
cooperation that education is essential, both for the development of the
individual person and for entire societies. Who can read and write has not only
in the world of working persons a substantial advantage. When formulating the
millennium development objectives, the UN also acknowledged this fact and
stipulated the target to give a basic education to all people until the year
2015. Also target No. 3, aiming at the empowerment and equality of women takes
this insight into account, as the share of women and girls in educational
institutions lies particularly in the poorest countries behind the share of
their male age-mates.
Also in Nepal, gratifying changes in the educational sector can be seen,
encouraged through the concentration of measures taken with regard to this
development target. The government placed high financial means at the disposal
in order to improve the educational infrastructure; particularly in the
districts, new school buildings were established and the number of students
constantly increases so that it is hoped that Nepal will reach the millennium
goal of securing a basic education for all until year 2015.
In spite of the gratifying development, a detail look behind the scenes often
reveals substantial shortcomings. Often, the new school buildings are too small
and not furnished; there is a lack of school books and qualified teachers.
There is also progress with regard to adult education, although not as strong
as in the school sector. A large part of analphabets constitutes of women,
often of women from underprivileged castes. The Nepal Relief Association
therefore focuses both on the support of measures taken for school education
and on the education of women. This encloses the alphabetization projects as
well as the project on empowering the women¿s political role.
Education in figures:
