Nepal is a landlocked country located between China on the north and India on the east, south and west. It has 147,181 square kilometer area located between 26°22' to 30°27' latitude north and between 80° 04' and 88°12' longitude east. Geographically, it consists of three layers of distinct ecological zones: 1) the Himalayas, the high mountain range with snow-covered peaks, 2) the hill areas with lush high hills and valleys, and 3) the Terai, a strip of fertile plains. All these geographic belts of Nepal run from east to west.According to the National Population Census 2011, the country has total population of 26.5 million, with almost 50.3 percent residing in theTerai, 43.0 percent in the hills and 6.7 percent in the mountains.
Nepal is a mosaic of social diversities – it is inhabited by people of diverse social, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The national census 2011 revealed that there are 125 caste/ethnic groups and 123 languages spoken as mother tongue in Nepal. Addressing this issue has enormous implications for the education sector to reach out the diverse ethnic groups to provide education and literacy for all, especially with regard to provisions of curriculum, textbooks and teacher training in their mother tongues.
Nepal is a secular country with 81.34% Hindu, 9.04% Buddhist, 4.38% Islam, 3.04% Kirat
and 1.41% Christians. While these five religions constitute more than 99% of the total population, the remaining less than one percent comprises Jain (0.01%), Prakriti (0.46%), Bon (0.04%), others (0.007%) and unspecified (0.23%)2. It is interesting to mention here that Prakriti and Bon are registered in the 2011 census only.
Culturally, Nepal is a very rich country with more than a dozen sites listed as the world cultural heritage. Moreover, in its long history cultural tolerance has been one of its foremost features and it continues to celebrate and sustain the cultural diversity that combines spiritual values, mythologies and wonders of nature through numerous festivals.
The Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) enshrines the common aspiration of multiethnic, multilingual, multi religious and multicultural characteristics of the Nepalese people with a bond of allegiance to national independence, integrity, national interest and prosperity of the country. Politically, Nepal is a federal republic with a multiparty system of government and the sovereignty vested in people. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into 5 development regions, 14 zones and 75 districts with 3,915 Village Development Committees (VDCs) and 58 municipalities. Restructuring the State with three tiers of government at local, provincial and central levels is being considered following the change in 2006. The allocation of responsibilities and mobilization of resources to provide comprehensive quality education for all from pre-primary to higher education between local, provincial and central governments is a huge challenge.
Nepal has been undergoing through significant political changes since 1951 marked by conflicts, referendum and elections. The country remains divided on the ways and means of facilitating socio-political transitions. The most significant change of 2006 abolished the monarchical system and declared the country a federal republic. Following this change election for constitutional assembly was held to draft a new constitution in the changed context; however the assembly failed to come up with the draft. Very recently fresh election was held and new assembly formed with the promise of coming up with new constitution within a year.
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Publisher:
UNESCO, GoN
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(2015
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Type / Script:
Progress Report
in English
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Keywords:
EDUCATION, EDUCATION FOR PEACE, EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NON-FORMAL EDUCATION,PRIMARY EDUCATION,EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, ILLITERACY, BASIC EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION, SECONDARY EDUCATION, DALITS, SOCIAL GROUPS, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, ETHNIC GROUPS, LITERACY, CULTURAL VALUES, SOVEREIGNTY, POVERTY, STREET CHILDREN
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Thematic Group:
UNESCO
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Educational, Scientific and Cultural
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Thesaurus:
11.01.00
- Educational Policy And Planning
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Reference Link:
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