National Education Award presented

KATHMANDU, Sep 19: Acting Prime Minister and Defence Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka has presented awards to the best schools, teachers, staff and principals at a programme organised by the Main Celebration Committee today on the occasion of National Education Day, 2023.

The awards were presented to community schools and private schools based on their outstanding performance in the Secondary Education Examination of 2022 and to the concerned schools based on the recommendation of the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training towards technical schools, and constituent, community and private campuses based on evaluation of the University Grants Commission. 

Similarly, the Social Welfare Education Award, established this year, was also handed on the occasion.

Among the awarded public schools based on best SEE results include: Kamala Secondary School, Dudhauli and the Kamala Secondary School, Kamalamai of Sindhuli and the Narayan Secondary School, Kumakh of Salyan district, which received the first, second and third prizes respectively. The first prize comprised the national shield, banner and cash prize of Rs 300,000. The second prize carries a purse of Rs 200,000 and the third prize a purse of Rs 100,000.  

Similarly, Prasadi Academy of Lalitpur bagged the first prize of Rs 300,000, Saint Xavier's College, Kathmandu the second prize of Rs 200,000 and Budhanilkantha School of Kathmandu the third prize of Rs 100,000 towards the private (institutional) schools.

Korea Nepal Polytechnic School, Rupandehi, the Manmohan Memorial Polytechnic and Aadarsha Secondary School of Morang and the Lifeline Hospital Pvt Ltd, Jhapa bagged cash award of Rs 100,000 each towards the technical schools category. 

Likewise, the Pulchowk Campus of Lalitpur, the Lumbini Commerce Campus of Rupandehi and the Kathmandu Model College of Kathmandu bagged cash prize of Rs 250,000 each towards the constituent campus, community college and private college, respectively.

The SOS Children's Village, Bhaktapur, the Kopila Valley Service Society, Surkhet and the Mala Kharel, Bal Sarathi Academy bagged the Social Welfare Education Award. Each organisation was presented with a cash prize of Rs 300,000. The award was established this year only and it is given to individuals or organizations making notable contributions at the national level by taking custody of and providing education to street children, the children of parents living with HIV/AIDS and the helpless and underprivileged children. 

National Education Day is marked across the nation today around the slogan 'Inclusive and Skill-oriented Education: Retaining Youths within the Country, Nation's Wish'. The government has formed the Main Celebration Committee under the convenorship of Minister for Education, Science and Technology Ashok Kumar Rai to celebrate the Day.

The names of 790 students completing PhD from universities within the country and abroad, 71 students completing the Master's degree course with the highest marks and 44 students completing Bachelor's degree with outstanding marks in their respective faculties have also been announced for the Grade 'A', Grade 'B' and Grade 'C' medals, respectively.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on May 23, 2022, decided to celebrate the National Education Day on the 2nd of the Nepali month Asoj every year in commemoration of the day the 'Compulsory and Free Education Act, 2075 BS' was certified with the objective of implementing the constitutionally guaranteed right to free education.