A Round Table Policy Discussion - PowerPoint Presentation

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A Round Table Policy Discussion "Right to Education – Perspectives from South Asia"17th January, 2014 – Islamabad, Pakistan

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NEPAL Presentation

Kamal P PokhrelDirector, Department of Education, NepalSlide2

Presentation OutlineBackground Information Provision on Right to Education (RtE) in NepalLegal Provision (Constitution and Laws)

Sector Plans, Programs Provision on proposed

RtE ActExperiences from Past IssuesAccessQuality /Student Learning/ Quality

Infrastructure and holistic coordination mechanismTeachers management Resources for Education Non-state Actor’s (I/NGOs, Private sector) role in education  Country's position on Post 2015 Development Agenda2Slide3

1.1 Nepal – Key FactsPolitical transition stage – Post conflictPopulation 26.5 million 42% under age 1866% of the population is literate (5+)Culturally rich and diverse – 123 different language groups

Geographic diversity – mountains, hills and the plains.Ranked 147 out of 187 countries on the HDI (a least developed country)

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1.2 Education at a Glance Nepal Education Budget NRs. 81000 m = US$ 810 m (2013); 4.3% of GDP, 65% of

National Budget

For Basic EducationLegal Instrument : Education Act, Regulations, Guidelines, Circulars

Apex Institution : Ministry of Education Current National Program : School Sector Reform Plan (2009-2016), Free and Compulsory education Program.Enrolment : Total: 8.7 million Basic (Grade 1 – 8; Age 5-12 years) : 6.5 million Secondary (Grade 9 – 12; Age 13-16 years) : 1.2 million ECD (Age 3-5 i.e. 36 to 39 months : 1.0 million)GPI, almost 1:1 at all levelNo. of Schools: 34782 (with 14% share of private) and secondary level-grade 9-12 : 8711)Teachers: Total : Govt pay roll: 152,909 + community hired + private school teachers Fe

male teachers

41.5%

Indicators: Net Enrolment Rate : 95.6% (Primary)

Survival

:

84.1% (Primary)

Cohort graduation 75% (Primary)

Out of School Children

1.1 m aged 5-16 years and 0.6 m aged 5-12 years

Literacy : 65.9% (2011 Census) and 69% (2013 estimated)

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2.1 Legal Provision: Right to Education in Nepal

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Nepal and int’l Conventions/DeclarationsNepal being a signatory of various Declarations has devised policy and legislative instrumentation to ensure the right of children to education

Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948: Article 26Declaration of the Rights of the Child 1959

U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (Ratified: 14 September 1990)International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966: Articles 13 & 14 Minimum Age Convention 1973Optional Protocols to the CRC on Sex Trafficking, Armed Conflict 2000International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women 1979Worst Forms of Child

Labour Convention 1999International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination 1965International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – CRPD 2006 (Signed: 3 Jan 2008)Salamanca Declaration on Special Needs Education 19946Slide7

The Interim Constitution of Nepal: Jan. 15, 2007Under Part

3 – the Fundamental rights

#Article 17 Right to Education: (1) Each community shall have the right to receive basic education

in their mother tongue as provided for in the law. (2) Every citizen shall have the right to receive free education from the State up to secondary level as provided for in the law (3) Each community residing in Nepal has the right to preserve and promote its language, script, culture, cultural civilization and heritage.#Article 22. Right to the Child :(1) Every child shall have the right to have their own identity and name. (2) Every child shall have the right to get nurtured, basic health and social security.(3) Every child shall have the right against physical, mental or any other form of exploitation. The exploiting actions shall be punishable by the law and the person who is treated in such manner shall be compensated in accordance with the law.(4) Helpless, orphan, mentally challenged, conflict victims, displaced and street kids at risk shall have the right to get special provision from the state for their secured future.

(5) Any minor shall not be employed in factories, mines or for any other hazardous work or shall be used in army, police or in conflicts.

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RtE related debates in the Constituent Assembly, 2008-2012Each community shall have the right to basic education in mother tongue as provisioned in the lawEach community shall have the right to free education up to secondary level as provisioned in the lawFree education includes, inter alia, absence of all forms of tuitions, free midday meals and school dress, and provision of hostel and scholarships as per need.

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Education Act – 1971 and Education Rules - 2002

Provisions on establishment, management, operation of school throughout the NationProvision of free education (free Textbooks, no tuition fee, exam and admission fees) up to grade 8

Other entitlements to marginalized and deprived childrenProvision of standardized curriculum, examination, Teacher recruitment and development to serve the pupilAll institutional and instructional arrangements made for school education9Slide10

Child Act, 1992, Child Rule – 1995 and Child Policy 2012

Various provisions enacted in line with international conventions/declarations (viz. Child Right of survival, protection, development and participation) Apex Agency to look after Children’s Right : Ministry of Woman, Child and S

ocial Welfare (MOWCSW)Provisions of district level, VDC level and local level mechanism to look at children matters10Slide11

112.2 Right to Education in Plans and programs

Education for All National Plan of Action (EFA/NPA-2001-2015, long term) – Goal 2

EFA Core Document (2004-09, medium term) – Goal 2

Thirteenth Plan (2013-15) NPC: Education Sector Plan: School Sector Reform Program (2009-15) – Component 2Out of School Strategy Paper (2013-2015), FCBE 1093 VDCs, 13 districts – Pilot FCELiteracy/NFE Policy and Program Framework – Related with FCE

Community School Support Program (CSSP, 2003- 2009) – Contributes to FCE

Construction of Primary Schools (EFA 04-09; JICA, 03-06) - Contributes to FCE

Teacher Education Project (TEP, 02-07) - Contributes to FCE

Various Programs of UN agencies, such as UNICEF, UNESCO, UNDP, WFP, ILO

Various programs of I/NGOs such as Save the Children, Plan Nepal, World Education, World Vision are contributing to FCE of NepalSlide12

RtE in School Sector Reform Plan (SSRP) 2009-15Goal of basic education‘to ensure equitable access to quality education through a rights-based approach and promotion of a child friendly environment in schools’ (p. 13)

Objective of the basic education

‘to ensure equitable access to quality basic education for all children in 5-12 age group’ (p. 13)Strategic Interventions‘A phased plan for a compulsory basic education policy through statutory arrangement, appropriate at national and local levels’ and

‘Incentive schemes to encourage local governments to adopt and declare basic education free and compulsory in their respective areas’ (p. 15)12Slide13

2.3 Right to Education Act (RTE Act)Present Status : In the Cabinet for endorsementPreamble : to ensure the school age children's right to free and compulsory education

Definitions :

Free = not to charge any kind of fees (monthly tuition, admission, re-admission, sports, extra-curricular, lab, library, exam, maintenance, primary aid, etc) and removal of any financial burden by the state that prevents a child from completing specified years of schooling

Compulsory = mandatory provision of admission, attendance, retention and completion of specified level of education, parental duty to admit their children to school13Slide14

The Beneficiaries 5-12 years age children, gradually up to grade 12 Right of a child: All children shall have right to free and compulsory education at the neighborhood school. Duty of the Government: to ensure free education to every child including immigrants residing in the country for more than three months; establishment of school unit in each community to ensure access at child’s neighborhood; ensure no child with disability remain out of school; ensure school Minimum enabling conditions (teacher, curriculum, textbooks, school calendar, incentive and support system to the students)

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15Entitlements: Textbooks, Midday meal, materials, other incentives, special attention to children from in danger community (socially, financially or other reasons)Voucher system/ incentive coupon for poverty card family is under discussion Community Participation : Majority of SMC members from among parents of children in the schoolEmpowered SMC by giving extra powers e.g. evaluation of the teachers

Quality Measures : Academic responsibility of the teachers and code of conduct specified : Teachers qualification for appointment upgraded.

Permanent teacher to be recruited by national level TSC and temp. at local levelStudents can opt for change of a school if school does not meet quality standards Schools Norms and standards are setMinimum Infrastructure: Classroom, teachers, textbooks, separate toilets and book corners, sports facility

Teacher-Pupil Ratio of 1:40 (max.)School days (220 opening days, 192 days net instruction) and total instructional hours (800 hours grade 1-3, 1000 hours upper grades)Slide16

Special Arrangements: Providing second chance education for over-age and dropout children; integrated and segregated schools for differently-abled children; residential schools for remote areas with difficult geography, special incentives system for deprived and vulnerable ethnic groups, mainstreaming of traditionally run Madarsha, Gonpa and Gurukuls education

Local government Municipality, VDC, Wards’ geographical territory taken as unit of FCBE implementation State Facilities to parents

who admit, retain and assist their children to complete desire level of educationDifferent social security allowancesNational ID, citizenship, voter ID, land-owner/property card, poverty card and any other IDEligibility of a candidatureEligibility of entry in public services

Bank loans and waiving (this clause to be enforced in two years of enactment):16Slide17

Partnership for sharing responsibility and funding: Joint responsibility of central and local government (own fund and allocations from centre), local bodies (VDCs, Municipality) to plan and implement Integrated govt programs to be implemented in the targeted pocket areas, DDCs right to coordinate and intervene to ensure FCEDEOs to establish and coordinate NGOs networksNGOs to prioritize FCE within their plans/programsRole of private schools

: Provide scholarships (with residential facility wherever applicable) for 10% of total students, Enroll students with voucher scheme,

Establish institutional linkage with specified public school to share experiences, Government to allocate grants to best performing private schools17Slide18

3. Experiences from Past and lessons for Future With special reference to Free & Compulsory Primary Education (Goal 2 of EFA or Component 2 of SSRP)18

3.1 Policy Focus:

Improving equitable access

(More schools to bring School Closer – 30 minutes or less, alternative schooling, flexible school hours, free education, free textbooks, school feeding, school mapping, increase number of female teachers, Focused Interventions to Bring Out-of-School Children into the System)Improving quality and efficiency (Curriculum improvement, teacher training, Resource Centre and their Professional support, School environment, reform in school exam, Introduction of CFS, SZOP, NVT with directives

)

Increasing institutional capacity

(EMIS, decentralized management, HRD plan)

Continuing school self- Governance and community involvement

(Block grant, performance based incentives, Community school management)

Targeted programs for disadvantaged

(

Incentives, scholarship to remove Economic Barriers)Slide19

3.2 Interventions/measures

Access Measures:

Welcome to school program for reaching the disadvantaged children in the rural area Grants to public lower secondary and secondary schools to provide free education to all

dalit students helped increase their enrolment and retention 3-phase approach to Free and Compulsory Education (expanding access of free education; ensuring FCE as fundamental right through proper legislation; and piloting and gradually making FCE compulsory) paved the way for RtE Act Focused Interventions

Special incentives for all girls

upto

grade 8 , all

dalit

, and

Karnali

(remote area)children and children with disability up to grade 12

School feeding program (day meal program) ensured not only enrolment of the children but also their retention

for

the whole day and for the whole year

Oil for mothers for daughter’s enrolment and retention worked well in increasing girls’ enrolment

residential programs in remote district help girls complete secondary education

Alternative schooling programs for children in difficult circumstances

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Quality Measures: Free textbooks to all public children up grade 10 to helped enrolment as well as learning Pilot approaches like Community ownership & management of schools to raise quality of public schools

School buildings, toilets (with water), furniture

IT expansion for learning 8500 secondary schools receive fund for 5 computers, power, connectivity, learning materialInterventions for efficient management

PCF, block grants, training, Teachers (female), reservations Administrative and Instructional support structure in place (local and centre) Textbooks (opened to private), multiple sets, digitizationCollaboration and partnerships (national and global)20Slide21

Significant improvement in enrolment : Pri. Level NER from 80%

(2000) to 95.6% (2013)

Female teachers from 30%

(2006) to 42% (2013) Licensing of teacher profession has been undertaken successfullyECD enrolments increased (GER from 10% (2000), and 41.4% (2006) to 73.7% (2013)

Gender

parity

reached to 0.99 (2013)

Initiation to institutionalize of decentralized governance and management systems as a result 13000 schools took part in community managed school (CMS) program

robust planning, implementation, reporting and monitoring mechanisms through the ASIP process at the centre and through SIPs, VEPs and DEPs at the local level.

Well Established EMIS – regular bi-annual school census and reporting in the form of Flash reports I and II

VDC wise database of out of school children and illiterate people

(from National Census 2011 and household survey of NFEC)

Visible Systemic readiness:

RtE

Act in progress

3.3 Some

of the

Encouraging Achievements

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4. Issues4.1 Access of hardcore group is a point to begin withStill some children (>4%) are not in school – who are they? Where are they? Identification of OOSC is an issue. How they could be brought to school? How to Bring the children of marginalized community, Musahar, Chepang

, , Chamar, Dom,

Halkhor and Dusadh, Raute, working and street children, the hardcore groupsGirls due to social barriers, Muslim communities, Rural mountain, children with special needs

are out of easy access to schoolingGuaranteeing equitable access to those out-of-school4.2 Student learning/quality in schools is at the coreLearning achievement of the students is low as reported by several research studies and external examinationsCurricular intents and expected outcomes of curriculum should be further disseminated Synchronization of textbooks, CAS and teacher training with curriculum is a needIntegration life skill/soft skills into teaching learning requires more effortsNeed to shift the focus on assessment for learning rather than assessment of learning22Slide23

4.3 Infrastructure and holistic coordination mechanism is neededEnsuring Prioritized Minimum Enabling Conditions (PMECs) in each school Making schools and classrooms sensitive to needs of disadvantaged childrenCoordination among govt (MOE, MOWCSW, MOFALD, MOHA, MOHP, local governments) as well non-govt agenciesInstitutionalization of coordination - statutory provision to be created under the coordination of NPC4.4 Teacher management is a complicated issue Mandatory provision of training and licensure, qualification upgrading of teachers, reservation policy, need based TPD program is in place,

Crucial concerns in the area of teacher management and devt

Redeployment and management to address the disparity in STR across the regions Teacher time on task (time with children) and irregularitiesThe proportional share of female, Dalit, Janajati, disadvantaged popn

A strong and transparent teacher performance monitoring and evaluation system with clear standards is needed for teacher accountability Teachers are not in a position to see their needs for demand driven TPD in certain critical areas, such as CAS, reading skills, or the new curriculum so needs further response to teacher development effort 23Slide24

4.5 Resource is a basic requirement to reach the goal Current Arrangements of resources for education: Education as a largest sector of public fundingDonor's commitment The pooling development partners include the Asian Development Bank, Australia, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the World Bank including funds from the Fast Track Initiative, FTI and Non-pooling: JICA, USAID, UNESCO and WFPFTI/GPE (received 120m USD in 2012 and next round in place)

Local government legally bound to invest in educationGrowing investment of private sectors and I/NGO's

Community and parents’ investment24Slide25

… Resource is a basic requirement to reach the goal Issues: Fragmentation and weak links in programmesUnplanned spread of settlements in rural areas and overlapping catchments areas in citiesDeclining DP support Ensuring proper distribution and utilization of resources provided to schools

Yet to explore multiple sources of fundsWay Ahead20% share of govt’s annual budget expected

Concrete cost sharing approach to be instituted (GoN : regular cost including teacher salary, Local body/community : space, infrastructure and matching grants, non-state Partners I/NGOs - technical aspects, capacity building, learning materials and child friendly environment) Mobilization of adequate funds – multiple non-state actors to be intensified

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5. Non-state Actor’s (I/NGOs, Private sector) role in educationNon-State actors (I/NGOs, NGOs, Private sector, CSOs etc) have played a major part in supporting the GON to improve children’s access to quality education and enhance the delivery system ranging from ECD level to higher education and for access, quality, HRD, Teacher Development. Private sector holds 14% of education share (in terms of school, student and teachers)Red Book support and direct support in practicePartnership guideline prepared jointly and approved by the government guides the

collaborationExpansion of collaboration with exiting as well as with new partners is desirable (and

always feasible in Nepal)26Slide27

I/NGOs area of expertise in Nepal Locally connected: Intervention at very grassroots level and hard core areasWorking in line with the principle of Neutrality, Impartiality and IndependenceFulfilling gaps in specialized areas through TA supportQuick response at disaster situations Regular meetings and loose networks are in place for regular coordinationEssential partners for advocacy or policy lobbying Some Issues still existDuplication in investment Report requirement not matching government’s ones (additional burden at school level)

Replicability /sustainabilityTransparency

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6. Nepal's view on Post-2015 Development AgendaA team led by MOE and supported by UNESCO working on this with the objectives of Assessing the progress made in past in 7 goals of EFA (One additional goal of Nepal is to Mother Tongue and multilingual education) identifying the remaining challenges in meeting MDG’s and EFA’s goalsDeveloping holistic vision for post-15 agenda

Progress to date7 separate thematic groups led jointly by a Joint Secretary of MOE and an expert from academia formed and work in progressTable work

Wider consultation with stakeholders such teacher unions, students, parents, local bodies, dalit/woman/janjati commissions, I/NGOs, Private sectors, Journalists, youth, CSOs and other govt agencies) We have yet to finalize Nepal’s position in this discourse, however some of the priority areas identified are

Putting education first in the post-15 development agendaQuality Education for AllStudent learning is at the core28Slide29

Some other priority area for post-15 EraFree and Compulsory Basic Education Right to education in mother tongueEquity strategy to ensure equitable access to hard core groupSpecial provision for disadvantaged children to bring remaining OOSC from core hard group; Multi-disciplinary intervention (Formal and Flexible)Better addressing the pedagogical issues relating to language, gender, social and economic to ensure completion of schooling meaningfully and beneficiallySpecial intervention for Early grade reading Life skills and value of local wisdomEnsuring Minimum Enabling Conditions (MECs) at all school

ICT applications in education with coonectivity, digital contents and alternatives energy schemes

Continuous assessment system 29Slide30

Investing more in children (midday meal in needy pockets, more resource for quality 70:30)Focus on strong partnership (INGOs, NGOs, DPs, private and public sectors) to work on a common ground in achieving both qualitative and quantitative aspects of FCEEnhanced Partnerships (DPs, I/NGOs, private sectors and other government agencies)Sharing at local, regional and global levels,Making local governments more responsive with explicit role of local governments, VDC, municipality, Legal responsibilities of local bodies municipalities – enlargement and enrichment to be ensured Strong governance: Dissemination of the Legislation to the lowest possible unit: Accountability frameworks and responsivenessProper acknowledgement of people’s livelihood, parental literacy and mother’s engagement in education

Parenting education to empower & mobilize parents for quality FCE

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Potential Areas for Regional CooperationRegional Forum – Create a regional or bilateral cooperation mechanism to share RtE experience and to offer a common post-15 agenda in the global education CommunitySharing Technical Expertise

– Share experience and expertise of governments and non-governmental professional bodies in meetings to be organized on a periodic/regular basis

And lastly Nepal welcomes multilateral or bilateral funding support, technical assistance, sharing of expertise/best practice from participating governments and non-govt agencies31Slide32

Thank you

Sagarmatha: the Top

of the World32Slide33

AnnexesStatus in terms of major EFA Indicators

No

Indicators

Achievement

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2012

Target 2015

1

Gross Enrolment Rate of Early Childhood / Pre School

12.8

19.8

19.9

39.4

69.9

41.4

73.7

80

2

Percentage of New entrants at Grade 1 with ECD

7.8

9.6

13.7

10.9

NA

18.3

55.6

80

3

Gross Intake Rate at Grade 1

122.9

101.3

117.1

125.9

148.1

148

138

102

4

Net Intake Rate at Grade 1

-

74.0

76.1

-

NA

86

90.7

98

5

Gross Enrolment Rate

124.7

118.4

126.7

130.7

145.4

138.8

130

105

6

Net Enrolment Rate

81.1

82.4

83.5

84.2

86.8

87.4

95.6

100

7

% GNP channeled to Primary

edu

1.8

2.0

1.9

2.0

1.9

2.0

2.0

2.5

8

% of Education Budget channeled to Primary

Edu

.

56.7

60

60

60

63

57+3

65

65

9

% of teachers with required qualification & training

15

NA

17.430.544.96098.210010Percentage of teachers with required Certification/License-----100100100100

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No

Indicators

Achievement

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2012

Target2015

11

Pupil Teacher Ratio

39.9

35.7

35.8

39.7

49.8

47.3

37

30

12

Repetition Rate:

10.6

12.1

-- Grade 1

38.7

36.8

34

NA

28.3

30.0

19

10

12.2

-- Grade 5

9

11

13.5

NA

10.4

10.0

12

8

13

Survival rate to Grade 5

65.8

67.6

67.7

76.2

79.1

80

84.1

90

14

Coefficient of Efficiency

60.0

60

NA

NA

63

NA

80

15

Percentage of Learning Achievement at Grade 5

40

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

<50

80

16

Literacy Rate

16.1

-- Age Group 15-24

70

NA

90.1

NA

76

NA

84.7

95

16.2

-- Age Group 6+ years

54

NA

NA

NA

60?

NA

65.9

90

17

Adult Literacy Rate (15+ years)

40.7

NA

48

NA

52?

NA

59.6

7518Literacy Gender Parity Index (15+ years)0.60.67NANA0.7NA0.991.0

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Abbreviations usedCAS = Continuous Assessment SystemCFS = Child Friendly School Framework CRC = Convention on Children RightsCSO = Community Social OrganizationDDC = District Development committee Devt = DevelopmentDP = Development PartnerECED = Early Childhood Development

EFA = Education for AllEMIS = Educational Management Information SystemFCBE = Free and Compulsory Basic EducationFCE = Free and Compulsory Education

FTI = Fast trach InitiativeGER = Gross Enrolment RateGON = Government of NepalGovt = GovernmentGPE = Global Partnership for EducationVDC = Village Development CommitteeGPI = Gender Parity Index

HR = Human RightHRD = Human Resource DevelopmentI/NGO = International/National Non- Governmental Organization ID = Identification CardMDG = Millennium Development GoalMEC = Minimum Enabling ConditionsMOE = Ministry of EducationMOF = Ministry of FinanceMOFALD = Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local DevelopmentMOHA = Ministry of Home AffairsMOHP = Ministry of Health and PopulationMOLJ = Ministry of Law and JusticeMOWCSW = Ministry of Woman, Child and Social WelfareNER = Net Enrolment RateNFEC = Non-formal Education CentreNPC = National Planning CommissionNVT = Non – Violence Teaching OOSC = Out of School ChildrenPMEC = Prioritized Minimum Enabling ConditionsRtE = Right to EducationSSRP = School Sector Reform PlanSZOP = School as a Zone of PeaceTPD = Teacher Professional Development UN = United Nation35