Paris and Kathmandu / A new report launched today at an event at Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) in Mandikhatar, Kathmandu provides a comprehensive and invaluable analysis of the role of non-state actors in the education system of Nepal, and across South Asia. Produced by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report and Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) Nepal, the study Who Loses, Who Chooses, reveals the inequalities in education experience and learning outcomes which have resulted from a rapid growth in the private education sector.
There has been rapid growth in
access to education in Nepal in recent decades. If late enrolment is included,
95% of children reached the last year of primary school, meaning Nepal almost
achieved universal primary completion within a generation. As across the whole
of South Asia, where private education has grown faster than any other region,
much of this expansion has been in privately provided schools. Half of children
in pre-primary and one quarter of students in primary and secondary education in
Nepal attend privately funded schools.
But the Report warns that
education quality is suffering. Learning levels are growing more slowly in
South Asia than in the rest of the world. Only 39% have minimum proficiency
skills in reading by the end of grade 5 in Nepal. It calls for greater
oversight of the quality of all schools by the government, whether schools are
state or non-state provided. It notes the prevalence of unregistered madrasas
and Buddhist and Hindu schools in Nepal. Up to 3,000 madrasas may be operating
unregistered.
Priyadarshani Joshi, GEM
Report senior policy analyst reflects “Governments need to collaborate with the
range of private and other non-state schools and universities in Nepal to
ensure fruitful regulations and financing across the full system.”
The report acknowledges that
Nepal and India prohibit profit making in education in the country. However, it notes that the rise of private
education has increased financial burdens on households all the same. Household
incomes currently account for 63% of total spending in pre-primary education.
Due to stigma regarding the quality of state education, individuals are more
likely to invest in and support private industries. The report finds that in
two districts, even the ‘best’ public schools struggled to attract students
from wealthier backgrounds.
Growing competition in the labour
market has also resulted in an increase in the demand for private tutoring. It
cites the positive example in Nepal of regulations on tutoring for other countries
in the region, including the quota for tutoring for marginalized groups, the
caps on fees and the necessity of a government permission for private tutoring classes
to be established. Nonetheless, as with tutoring across the whole region, the
Report warns about the practice continuing to widen education gaps between the
richest and poorest.
Five policy recommendations are
provided to enhance the quality and equity of education in South Asia:
1. Fulfil the commitment to make
1 year pre-primary and 12 years primary and secondary education free. Most countries in the
region are not nearly reaching the necessary minimum funding to ensure free
access to education.
2. Set quality standards that apply
to all state and non-state education institutions and improve state capacity to
ensure their implementation. Governments should work to establish universal
standards for quality of education in both state and non-state schools to
promote more equitable outcomes for all learners. Governments should dedicate
funding to frequent school inspections and assessments to ensure parity across
sectors.
3. Establish common monitoring
and support processes that apply to all state and non-state institutions through a system of
clear and standardised regulations on teacher training, curriculum, and
testing. This will help to ensure that students in all education systems
receive a more equitable education.
4. Facilitate the spread of
innovation through the education system for the common good. Mistrust between
governments and non-state actors has negatively impacted both standardisation
and student performance. Governments should recognise good practices used by
non-state actors and work to incorporate them into public education systems.
5. Maintain the transparency, inclusivity,
and integrity of public education policy processes. Open communication between all
actors should be prioritised, with the common goal of increasing education
quality and access of all learners at the heart of discussions.