The World Bank on Thursday approved a $60 million (341 mio. d. kr.) grant for the socalled Second Higher Education Project, writes The Himalayan Times.
The project is designed to enhance quality and relevance of higher education and research.
The foremost aim of the education project is to decentralise higher education to campus level and make them accountable to stakeholders.
The second component of the project is to provide financial assistance to students from poor households, especially girls, dalits and educationally disadvantaged janajati.
The third objective is to support the expansion of higher secondary education in Nepal.
This grant for a period of five years comes from the International Development Association, the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm.
The Interim Strategy Note discussed by the Bank’s Board of executive directors reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to support Nepal in its transition to peace but observed that the road ahead is not without serious pitfalls.
– In the short run, the political situation will remain fluid and potentially unstable until successful constituent assembly elections are held and all sides accept the results, it said.
According to Kenichi Ohashi, World Bank country director for Nepal:
– The Bank’s executive directors are very supportive of Nepal’s peace process and encouraged by the progress made so far.
But there is considerable risk that Nepal’s leadership will be pre-occupied with the political agenda.
Ignoring the development agenda could prove damaging not only for the long term needs of the country but even for the near term goal of achieving lasting peace, he said.
In general, the Bank’s strategy over the next 12 to 18 months will focus on protecting the past reform gains and helping the government prepare for important post-conflict work.
While there had been no new projects last year, this year the WB had already committed about US$ 100 million (569 mio. d. kr.) towards new projects, towards the Poverty Alleviation Fund and the Avian Influenza in particular, said Upadhyay.
