KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (Nepal) has directed private schools to strictly implement the legal provision requiring them to provide scholarships to at least 10 percent of their total students.
The ministry has written to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (Nepal), requesting that local governments across the country monitor and facilitate effective implementation of the provision.
The directive is based on Section 27(3) of the Act Relating to Compulsory and Free Education, 2075 (2018) and Rule 151(2) of the Education Regulation 2002. Under these laws, private investment schools and those run under public educational trusts must reserve seats to provide free education to designated groups of students.
According to the provision, scholarships must be provided to at least 10 percent of the total student population, prioritising students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, persons with disabilities, girls, and students from Dalit and Indigenous communities.
To ensure transparency in the scholarship distribution process, the ministry has also instructed schools to immediately update the list of scholarship recipients in the Integrated Educational Management Information System (IEMIS).
Schools are further required to publicly disclose details of the scholarships provided so that parents and guardians can easily access the information.
Local governments have been urged to regularly monitor whether schools within their jurisdiction are complying with the rule. If any school is found failing to provide the required scholarships or to update the records, local authorities have been instructed to initiate action in accordance with prevailing laws.
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