Nepal struggles with student learning despite Rs 2.67 billion teacher training investment

Despite an investment of Rs 2.67 billion in teacher professional development over the last four years, Nepal is facing significant challenges in student learning outcomes. National assessments conducted by the Education Review Office under the Ministry of Education and Sports indicate that a large portion of students are failing to meet minimum learning standards.

Findings from the National Assessment of Student Achievement (NASA) show that only 22 percent of Grade 5 students met the minimum learning benchmark in mathematics, leaving 78 percent below the required level. These proficiency gaps persist into secondary school; in Grade 10, 60 percent of students fell below minimum levels in mathematics, 50.1 percent in science, and 53.8 percent in Nepali. Additionally, 29.4 percent of students failed to meet the minimum standard in English.

While the government maintains that training is intended to equip teachers with updated knowledge and methods to improve classroom results, the lack of measurable improvement has raised questions regarding the effectiveness of these educational investments.