School education in Nepal - our approach for a positive future

The Nepalese people are young. According to the census in 2019, around 30% of the total population was between 1 and 14 years old (Germany: 13%). This is where Nepal's great potential lies: a young population that, thanks to a higher level of school education, has better prospects for a good life and advances the country's development.

School enrollment begins from the age of 5. The school system is divided into primary (1st-5th grade), lower secondary (6th-8th grade), secondary (9th-10th grade) and higher secondary (11th-12th grade). There is also often a classification into basic education (grades 1-8) and secondary (grades 9-12). In 2009, a major school reform (SSRP: Sector School Reform Program) was launched, which has had an impact on the national average. However, this picture changes when the regions or the so-called eco-belts are compared. A distinction is made here between regions in valleys, highlands and mountains. According to the Nepalese Ministry of Education, there are around 4,700 schools in the mountain range, the Eco-Belt, where our program is located. This means that around 12% of all schools in the country can be found in this remote region. Of these, around 700 schools offer lessons up to grade 10; around 200 teach up to grade 12, i.e. Abitur level.

It is striking that the proportion of private schools in the mountain region is 5%, while the national average is 14%. This means, on the one hand, that there are fewer schools in the mountains and, on the other hand, that they are rarely privately organized and financed. The standard of state schools is generally considered to be mediocre. Around 60% of the mountain population can read and write, while in the capital Kathmandu 82% of the residents can read and write. In the mountain region, a total of 59% of graduates pass the school leaving examination after grade 10 (SEE: Secondary Education Examination); The success rate for state schools is 41% and for private schools it is 94%.

We want to ensure that the children in our program have the opportunity to receive the so-called “Secondary Education Examination”, comparable to the German secondary school leaving certificate. This is a prerequisite for taking advantage of vocational or further school training opportunities. In Nepal in 2013, only 25% of students in a year reached this level. On average, children in Nepal attend school for 4.9 years.

At Future Citizen, the focus is on the holistic development of children. In addition to school training, we also want to promote your professional and personal development. We want to accompany our protégés until they can lead their own lives as citizens of Nepal as young adults. Whether the children decide to pursue an apprenticeship or a university degree after graduating, we are there to support them on their career path.