Editing Nepal (section)

=== Education ===
{{Main|Education in Nepal}}
Nepal entered modernity in 1951 with a literacy rate of 5% and about 10,000 students enrolled in 300 schools.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} By 2017, there were more than seven million students enrolled in 35,601 schools.<ref name=moe17>{{cite report|title=Education in figures 2017|publisher=Ministry of Education, Nepal|year=2017|url=https://moe.gov.np/assets/uploads/files/Education_in_Figures_2017.pdf|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=11 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211215228/https://moe.gov.np/assets/uploads/files/Education_in_Figures_2017.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The overall literacy rate (for population age five years and above) increased from 54.1% in 2001 to 65.9% in 2011.{{sfn|2011 National Census|p=4}} The net primary enrolment rate reached 97% by 2017,<ref name="undp">{{cite web|url=https://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/NPL.html|title=Human Development Report 2010&nbsp;– Nepal|publisher=Hdrstats.undp.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415135354/https://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/NPL.html|archive-date=15 April 2012|access-date=25 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unicef.org/nepal/education|title=Education|publisher=UNICEF|language=en|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=4 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204180641/https://www.unicef.org/nepal/education|url-status=live}}</ref> yet enrolment was less than 60% at the secondary level (grades 9 –12),<ref name=uis>{{cite web|url=https://uis.unesco.org/en/country/np|title=Nepal|date=27 November 2016|publisher=UNESCO|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=24 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224143945/https://uis.unesco.org/en/country/np|url-status=live}}</ref> and around 12% at the tertiary level.<ref name=uis/> Though there is significant gender disparity in overall literacy rate,{{sfn|2011 National Census|p=4}} girls have overtaken boys in enrolment to all levels of education.<ref name=uis/> Nepal has eleven universities and four independent science academies.<ref name=moe17/> Nepal was ranked 109th in the [[Global Innovation Index]] in 2024.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2024/en/|title=Global Innovation Index 2024. Unlocking the Promise of Social Entrepreneurship|access-date=2024-10-22|author=[[World Intellectual Property Organization]]|year=2024|isbn=978-92-805-3681-2|doi= 10.34667/tind.50062|location=Geneva|page=18}}</ref>

Lack of proper infrastructures and teaching materials, and a high student-to-teacher ratio, as well as politicisation of school management committees<ref>{{cite web|url=https://therisingnepal.org.np/news/12519|title=Community-based School Management The Role Politics Plays|website=The Rising Nepal|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=4 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204150818/http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/12519|url-status=dead}}</ref> and partisan unionisation among both students and teachers,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/minister-pokhrel-urges-teachers-to-be-loyal-to-their-schools/|title=Minister Pokhrel urges teachers to be loyal to their schools|date=15 September 2019|website=The Himalayan Times|language=en-US|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=14 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814184800/https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/minister-pokhrel-urges-teachers-to-be-loyal-to-their-schools|url-status=live}}</ref> present a hurdle to progress. Free basic education is guaranteed in the constitution but the programme lacks funding for effective implementation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kathmandupost.com/valley/2018/05/08/free-education-to-cost-threefold|title=Free education to cost threefold|website=Kathmandu Post|language=en|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=2 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002141929/https://kathmandupost.com/valley/2018/05/08/free-education-to-cost-threefold|url-status=live}}</ref> Government has scholarship programmes for girls and disabled students as well as the children of martyrs, marginalised communities and the poor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edusanjal.com/scholarship/types-of-scholarships-provided-to-nepalese-students-by-government-of-nepal/|title=Types of scholarships provided to Nepalese students by government of Nepal|website=Edusanjal|language=en|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=13 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813212249/https://edusanjal.com/scholarship/types-of-scholarships-provided-to-nepalese-students-by-government-of-nepal/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/medical-colleges-charging-extra-fees-even-from-govt-scholarship-holders/|title=Medical colleges charging extra fees even from govt scholarship holders|date=7 April 2019|website=The Himalayan Times|language=en-US|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=14 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814193954/https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/medical-colleges-charging-extra-fees-even-from-govt-scholarship-holders|url-status=live}}</ref> Tens of thousands of Nepali students leave the country every year in search of better education and work, with half of them never returning.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://admin.myrepublica.com/society/story/23904/more-students-seeking-no-objection-to-study-abroad.html|title=More students seeking 'no objection' to study abroad|last=Sharma|first=Nirjana|date=3 July 2015|work=[[República (Nepalese newspaper)|Republica]]|access-date=20 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020173146/https://admin.myrepublica.com/society/story/23904/more-students-seeking-no-objection-to-study-abroad.html|archive-date=20 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Between-the-lines/More-Nepali-students-settle-overseas,528|title=Losing our young|last=Tsering|first=Dolker|date=17 July 2015|work=[[Nepali Times]]|access-date=20 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020173506/https://nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Between-the-lines/More-Nepali-students-settle-overseas,528|archive-date=20 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>