Nepal to receive $200 million concessional loan from ADB

Nepal and Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a concessional loan agreement amounting to $200 million (equivalent to Rs 26.51 billion) for supporting the first five years of the School Education Sector Plan (SESP-2022–2030) and a grant agreement of $12 million to implement the Strengthening Systems to Protect and Uplift Women Project.

According to a press note issued by the Finance Ministry, the project will benefit survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) across Madhesh, Lumbini, and Sudurpaschchim provinces through the establishment of long-term rehabilitation centers, development of survivor-friendly facilities for the Women, Children and Senior Citizen Service Centers within selected district and area police offices and strengthening of survivor-friendly services in these provinces. "The project will also build a new national long-term rehabilitation center in Bhaktapur," it adds.

Joint secretary at the ministry Ishwori Prasad Aryal, and ADB Officer-in-Charge for Nepal Saugata Dasgupta signed the agreements on behalf of their respective institutions. The proposed assistance is expected to support the implementation of the government’s School Education Sector Plan in a sector-wide approach supported by eight development partners, including ADB under the Joint Financing Arrangement.

“The programme will enhance learning provisions for basic and secondary schools, strengthen teaching and learning skills in schools, accelerate the recovery from learning losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and improve the capacity of local governments in education planning, monitoring and reporting,” the press note reads.

"Nepal has done significantly in terms of improving access to education in the past decades however, much more needs to be done to further improve equity of access and the quality of education," said Aryal after signing the agreement. The programme will be crucial to operationalising Nepal’s holistic approach in improving the overall learning outcomes."

"The agreement is a key part of ADB’s overall efforts to help Nepal accelerate reforms and transform the country’s education system to develop human capital, reduce social inequity, and attain sustainable growth," Dasgupta is quoted as saying, "The plan is designed towards eliminating inequities in access and participation in school education, and improving quality and resilience of school education."