Government Proposes NPR 218.3 Billion Budget for Education and Sports Sector in FY 2083/84

Kathmandu. The government has proposed a budget of NPR 218.3 billion and 50 lakh for the education and sports sector for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84. This is 10.28 percent of the total national budget for the upcoming fiscal year. 

In the Monday meeting of the National Assembly, Minister of Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel stated that although this budget appears to be 0.47 percent lower than the current fiscal year in terms of percentage, it is approximately NPR 7 billion more than the previous year in terms of results.

Out of the total budget allocated for education and sports, a large portion, i.e., 68.98 percent (NPR 150.58 billion and 59 lakh and 10 thousand rupees), will be spent on the salaries of teachers and employees and the pensions of retired teachers. Out of the NPR 62.89 billion and 57 lakh allocated for the federal level, 42.13 percent (NPR 26.50 billion) has been set aside for teachers' pensions alone. The remaining 57.87 percent of the budget will be implemented under 19 sub-headings, informed Minister Pokharel.

The largest portion of the budget has been transferred financially to the local level. He stated that 69.07 percent of the total budget will be spent at the local level, 2.12 percent at the provincial level, and 28.81 percent of the budget will be spent through various federal-level bodies.

In terms of sectors, 69.49 percent of the budget has been allocated to school education, 11.04 percent to higher education, 15.17 percent to management, 2.56 percent to technical and vocational education, and 1.77 percent to sports. Minister Pokharel stated that out of the total NPR 151.69 billion and 71 lakh for school education, only NPR 10.45 billion and 42 lakh and 4 thousand rupees have been allocated for physical infrastructure.