Access to Quality Education in Nepal

- Monal Bhattarai

Discussion Type: Mangalbaarey | Date: 07 Jan 2025 | Time: 03:00 PM

Details

7 January 2025/२३ पुस २०८१ (मंगलबार, दिउँसो ३ बजे)
Access to Quality Education in Nepal
Monal Bhattarai, Managing Director, Canopy Nepal

Abstract:
Education is a significant tool for breaking the cycle of poverty, equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve their quality of life. In Nepal, education faces significant systemic challenges. The high dropout rates and the lack of support to keep students in school hinder the ability of the students to secure stable employment opportunities and live independent lives. UNICEF reports that 27% do not complete lower secondary, and an alarming 73% fail to complete upper secondary education. Financial and social struggles, household responsibilities, and limited access to quality education perpetuate the poverty cycle, thereby limiting the individual’s ability to make informed decisions and support their families, lead independent lives, and gain financial independence.

The education system is also very rigid and limiting and leaves very little space for creativity, expression, and independent learning. Focused on the completion of the yearly curriculum and meeting the calendar of the school, the classroom and learning space in schools do not allow the exploration of important societal issues and topics that are important for the students to further engage in society and bring necessary transformations.

Promoting quality education and holistically supporting students is significant to tackling these systemic issues and envisioning a society where children get quality education and can engage in opportunities that transform their lives.

About the Speaker:
Monal is the Managing Director of Canopy Nepal, a non-profit that has been working to challenge the systemic issues in the educational landscape of Nepal. She looks after the operation of the programs and manages collaborations, partnerships, and donor relationships, promoting interactive learning and enhancing accessibility in schools. Monal has been in the field of education for over 6 years.

Under her leadership, a dynamic team of young and dedicated team members from Nepal has impacted over 20,000+ students and 220 schools across the country. Monal's dedication to education is further amplified through her role as the Country Coordinator for International Student Learning, an NGO based in the USA.

Monal is an awardee of the 30 for 2030 for UN Women Asia and the Pacific and is a Fellow at Little Big Funds, where she continues to drive impactful grassroots initiatives. Also a part of the Global Shapers community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, Monal collaborates with other young changemakers worldwide to address pressing global challenges. Her work exemplifies a dedication to building a future where education is a right, not a privilege, and where every child and educator has the tools to thrive.

- Monal Bhattarai

Past Events