Finland will continue the support to the education sector in Nepal. The Ambassador of Finland Jorma Suvanto signed a grant agreement of 1.7 million euros on Wednesday 16th March in the Ministry of Education in Kathmandu.
Finland has supported the education sector in Nepal since 1999. In the past seven years Finland’s contribution to School Sector Reform has been 23 million euros. Additional to that, €1.6 million has been allocated for Technical Education and Vocational Training Soft Skills Project (TSSP) from September 2012 to March 2016.
The aim of the Finnish funded TSSP has been to improve the quality of education in Nepal by integrating soft skills into teaching. Nepal has defined soft skills as personal skills, cooperation skills, thinking skills, and innovation and business skills. The main achievements of TSSP have been the approval of new curricula in six different subjects for grades 9-10, as well as the development of teachers training materials and their testing.
Finland in consultation with the government of Nepal has agreed to continue to support the TSSP for another three years with a grant agreement of 1.7 million euros. In the second phase of the project the aim is to integrate and develop the soft skills across school education starting from grade one.
The project is first focused in 80 pilot schools and afterwards the results will be put into practice countrywide.
In the signing event the Ambassador Jorma Suvanto emphasized the importance of education in poverty reduction. Together with the Finnish funded water sector development, education will enhance employment and welfare significantly.
The Ambassador also highlighted women's rights in education which, together with poverty reduction, is on the top of Finland's development policy agenda.
Press release concerning the additional support to the education sector:
Updated 4/5/2016
