Gender Disparity and Challenges in Nepal's Education Sector

Pokhara. The debate for free quality education is not heard much these days. The debate for equality and equity has also faded. Statistics, however, show this gap widening.

The difference between male and female students in Nepal's school education is increasing. According to the data from the Centre for Education and Human Resource Development, government and institutional private schools are segregated by gender from grades 1 to 12. While government schools are dominated by female students, the number of male students is significant in private schools.

A total of 4,383,655 students are currently studying in community schools from grades 1 to 12. Among them, the number of female students is more than 51 percent, i.e., 2,255,925, while the number of male students is 2,127,730. On the other hand, 2,657,170 students are studying in private schools during the same period from grades 1 to 12. Among them, the number of male students is 1,552,200, approximately 58.4 percent. The number of female students is only 1,104,970, approximately 41.6 percent.

There are 42,619 early childhood development centers across the country, and 35,951 schools offer education from grades 1-12. Among these, there are 27,010 community schools, 8,941 institutional schools, and 1,387 religious schools. Looking at the levels, the number of schools offering education up to the basic level is the highest, i.e., 17,573.

• 19 students per 1 teacher in community schools, 37 students per teacher in institutional schools

In community schools, 1 teacher is available for every 19 students at the basic level. In institutional schools, there is 1 teacher for every 37 students at the primary level. The student-teacher ratio at the secondary level appears very challenging. In community schools from grades 11-12, 1 teacher is working for every 50 students, and in institutional schools, it is 1 teacher for every 60 students.

Similarly, the student dropout rate has also increased significantly these days. The average grade promotion rate at the basic level is 89.3 percent, while the repetition rate is 8.4 percent and the dropout rate is 2.3 percent. Especially in grade 1, the repetition rate is 16 percent and the dropout rate is 4.4 percent. At the secondary level, the grade promotion rate is 93.1 percent, the repetition rate is 5.1 percent, and the dropout rate is 1.8 percent.

Although the dropout rate has increased, there is no clear conclusion about its cause yet, said Nimprasad Singh Rathour, Director and Information Officer at the Centre for Education and Human Resource Development. 'There is not just one reason, there are multiple reasons,' he said, 'The center is conducting a campaign to find the reasons at the local level.'

Rathour mentioned that the student population is not expected to increase significantly. 'Nepal's birth rate is constant. Therefore, the possibility of students increasing much further is less,' he said, 'It would be good if the existing schools could be managed and run efficiently.'

Many schools in the hilly and mountainous regions are currently in the process of merging due to a lack of students. Some have already merged. Statistics show that not only general schools but also technical schools, which the government has opened with great interest, are in a dire state.

A total of 569 technical stream schools are in operation across the country, of which 535 are operated by the central government, 1 by the province, and 33 by local levels. According to Rathour, some schools have already reached a state where they need to be abolished. Province-wise, Koshi Province has the highest number of 115 technical stream schools, and Karnali Province has the lowest number of 38 technical stream schools in operation.