Kathmandu: Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokhrel has announced that a significant budget has been allocated to the education and sports sector, emphasizing it as a top priority for the government.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Pokhrel addressed concerns from lawmakers regarding the Appropriation Bill, 2083 BS, during a National Assembly meeting. He highlighted that the education and sports sector has been allocated Rs 218.30 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, accounting for 10.28 percent of the national budget. Although this allocation is 0.47 percent less than the current fiscal year, it represents an increase of Rs 7 billion in total funds.
Minister Pokhrel expressed confidence that the allocation would be sufficient when considering the combined budget for the school nurse program, teaching grant quota, laboratory, and school infrastructure development related to information and communication. He detailed the distribution of the budget, noting that 69.49 percent is earmarked for school education, 11.04 percent for higher education, 2.56 percent for technical and vocational education and training, 1.74 percent for sports, and 15.17 percent for management.
Furthermore, Minister Pokhrel announced an allocation of Rs 350 million to conduct the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) at the provincial level. He also revealed that Rs 1.07 billion has been set aside to implement smart boards in all community schools offering secondary education, marking a significant step towards digital learning.
The Minister highlighted plans for school mapping and restructuring in the upcoming fiscal year, which aim to merge schools for better efficiency. He urged universities to reduce their reliance on government funding by developing investment models, though he assured that the government would cover essential costs. Additionally, he confirmed the implementation of an academic calendar and a world-class curriculum in Nepal’s universities.
To further support the sports sector, Minister Pokhrel declared that athletes who achieve record-breaking performances will be recognized and honored.