KATHMANDU: Japanese Ambassador Maeda Toru paid a courtesy call on Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel on Thursday to discuss bilateral cooperation, with a particular focus on the education sector.
During the meeting at the ministry in Singha Durbar, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Nepal and Japan, expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest and explore new opportunities for collaboration in education.
Minister Pokharel expressed confidence that the historic and friendly ties between the two countries would continue to deepen. He said the government is committed to improving public education, acknowledging that recognising existing challenges is the first step toward meaningful reform.
He said the ministry has begun assessing the physical infrastructure of public schools to help guide future budget allocation based on need. The government will prioritise improvements in school infrastructure, educational facilities and teacher training, he added.
Pokharel also identified safe school infrastructure, digital and smart learning, teacher professional development, and school health and nutrition as potential areas for cooperation with the Japanese government.
Referring to Japan’s education system, the minister said Nepal could learn from its emphasis on teaching culture, values and discipline from the school level to help foster social responsibility and cooperation among students.
Ambassador Toru reaffirmed Japan’s continued support for Nepal’s efforts to reform public school education.
He said long-term political commitment, a capable bureaucracy and public confidence in the education system are essential for sustainable reform, adding that Japan stands ready to support Nepal’s initiatives.
The ambassador stressed the importance of teacher training in improving the quality of school education and encouraged the effective implementation of professional development programmes for teachers.
He also noted that meaningful reforms in education require good governance and sustained commitment, adding that visible results take time to achieve.
Highlighting broader bilateral cooperation, Toru said greater policy stability, administrative facilitation and infrastructure development could further encourage Japanese private investment in Nepal.
He added that Nepal and Japan have significant potential to expand cooperation in the information technology sector, particularly in digital infrastructure, human resource development, innovation and investment promotion.
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