Act

शिक्षा ऐन, २०२८

Education Act, 1971

All laws

Type
Act
Year
२०२८ BS · 1971 AD
Status
In force
Category
खण्ड १४: परराष्ट्र, शिक्षा तथा खेलकुद · Volume 14: Foreign Affairs, Education and Sports
Official text
Official page Official text (PDF) Official text (PDF)

Analysis drawn from official reports, court rulings and published research, each cited. Figures are being double-checked against the source documents; corrections are welcome.

What it does

  • The Education Act 2028 (1971) is still the main federal law for schools, as amended 16 times, most recently in 2074 and 2075. It defines basic education as early childhood education up to grade 8 and secondary education as grades 9–12. Anyone wanting to open a school needs permission: the application goes to the prescribed authority with a recommendation from the village or municipal education committee (for basic schools) or the district education committee (for secondary schools). Private ('institutional') schools are run as educational trusts, and no school may be affiliated with a foreign institution.शिक्षा ऐन, २०२८ अझै पनि विद्यालयसम्बन्धी मुख्य संघीय कानून हो, र यसमा १६ पटक संशोधन भइसकेको छ (पछिल्लो २०७४ र २०७५ मा)। ऐनअनुसार प्रारम्भिक बाल शिक्षादेखि कक्षा ८ सम्म आधारभूत शिक्षा र कक्षा ९ देखि १२ सम्म माध्यमिक शिक्षा हो। विद्यालय खोल्न अनुमति चाहिन्छ: आधारभूत विद्यालयका लागि गाउँ वा नगर शिक्षा समितिको र माध्यमिक विद्यालयका लागि जिल्ला शिक्षा समितिको सिफारिससहित तोकिएको अधिकारीसमक्ष निवेदन दिनुपर्छ। संस्थागत (निजी) विद्यालय शैक्षिक गुठीका रूपमा चल्छन्, र विदेशी शिक्षण संस्थासँग सम्बन्धन गरेर विद्यालय खोल्न पाइँदैन। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Title page (list of 16 amending Acts), p. 1; Section 2(ख१), (घ), p. 3; Section 3(1)–(3), (7ग), (8), pp. 6–7
  • Community schools are run by a School Management Committee made up mainly of parents (including women), a ward representative, a teacher and the head teacher. Community schools may not charge students any fee for education the government has declared free, and the government must arrange resources so that basic education is compulsory and free and secondary education free. Private schools must get their fees approved, must give free scholarships to at least 10% of their students (poor, disabled, women, Dalit or Janajati students), and a school charging fees against the Act can be ordered to refund them and fined up to Rs 25,000. No child may be expelled or physically or mentally punished.सामुदायिक विद्यालय मुख्यतः अभिभावक (महिलासहित), वडा प्रतिनिधि, शिक्षक र प्रधानाध्यापक रहने विद्यालय व्यवस्थापन समितिले चलाउँछ। सरकारले निःशुल्क घोषणा गरेको शिक्षाका लागि सामुदायिक विद्यालयले विद्यार्थीसँग कुनै शुल्क लिन पाउँदैन, र आधारभूत शिक्षा अनिवार्य तथा निःशुल्क र माध्यमिक शिक्षा निःशुल्क बनाउन सरकारले स्रोत जुटाउनुपर्छ। संस्थागत विद्यालयले शुल्क स्वीकृत गराउनुपर्छ, कुल विद्यार्थीको कम्तीमा १० प्रतिशतलाई (विपन्न, अपाङ्गता भएका, महिला, दलित वा जनजाति) निःशुल्क छात्रवृत्ति दिनुपर्छ, र ऐनविपरीत शुल्क लिए फिर्ता गराउने र २५ हजार रुपैयाँसम्म जरिबाना गर्न सकिन्छ। कुनै पनि बालबालिकालाई विद्यालयबाट निकाल्न वा शारीरिक–मानसिक यातना दिन पाइँदैन। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 12(1), p. 29; Section 16घ(1)–(7), pp. 37–38; Section 16ञ(1), p. 43; Section 16ड, p. 44
  • Teaching may be in Nepali, English or both, and primary education may be given in the mother tongue. A Teacher Service Commission recommends appointment and promotion of teachers to approved posts in community schools, and no one may apply for a teacher post without a teaching licence from the Commission. A National Examination Board runs secondary-level examinations, and an Educational Quality Testing Centre tests the quality of school education.विद्यालयमा शिक्षाको माध्यम नेपाली, अंग्रेजी वा दुवै भाषा हुन्छ, र प्राथमिक शिक्षा मातृभाषामा दिन सकिन्छ। सामुदायिक विद्यालयका स्वीकृत दरबन्दीमा शिक्षक नियुक्ति र बढुवाको सिफारिस शिक्षक सेवा आयोगले गर्छ, र आयोगबाट अध्यापन अनुमतिपत्र नलिई कोही पनि शिक्षक पदको उम्मेदवार हुन पाउँदैन। माध्यमिक तहको परीक्षा राष्ट्रिय परीक्षा बोर्डले सञ्चालन गर्छ र विद्यालय शिक्षाको गुणस्तर परीक्षण शैक्षिक गुणस्तर परीक्षण केन्द्रले गर्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 7(1)–(2), p. 13; Section 4क, p. 8; Section 7ख, p. 15; Section 11ख(1), p. 19; Section 11ड(1), p. 26
  • The Act's administrative structure dates from before federalism: it still provides for regional education directorates, a District Education Office headed by a District Education Officer, and district education committees that oversee schools in each district. The 2015 Constitution, by contrast, lists 'basic and secondary education' among the powers of local levels (Schedule 8, item 8) and makes basic education compulsory and free and secondary education free as a fundamental right (Article 31(2)).ऐनको प्रशासनिक संरचना संघीयताअघिकै हो: यसमा अझै क्षेत्रीय शिक्षा निर्देशनालय, जिल्ला शिक्षा अधिकारी प्रमुख रहने जिल्ला शिक्षा कार्यालय र जिल्लाभरका विद्यालयको रेखदेख गर्ने जिल्ला शिक्षा समितिको व्यवस्था छ। तर नेपालको संविधान (२०७२) ले 'आधारभूत र माध्यमिक शिक्षा' लाई स्थानीय तहको अधिकारमा राखेको छ (अनुसूची–८, क्रम ८) र आधारभूत शिक्षा अनिवार्य तथा निःशुल्क र माध्यमिक शिक्षा निःशुल्क पाउने मौलिक हक दिएको छ (धारा ३१(२))। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal · Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Education Act ss. 9–11, pp. 16–18; Constitution Article 31(2), p. 15 and Schedule 8 item 8, p. 182

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

  • Outdated A new federal education law has not been made. The 2080/81 budget promised to draft a federal education Act to organise school education, higher education, technical and vocational education and the national qualifications framework, and to make legal provision allowing graduates of all subjects to sit the teaching-licence exam; the Auditor General found that neither had been done. Separately, a School Education Bill to amend and consolidate school-education law was reported as still pending in parliament in Baisakh 2082.नयाँ संघीय शिक्षा कानून बनेको छैन। आर्थिक वर्ष २०८०/८१ को बजेटले विद्यालय शिक्षा, उच्च शिक्षा, प्राविधिक तथा व्यावसायिक शिक्षा र राष्ट्रिय योग्यता प्रारूपलाई व्यवस्थित गर्न संघीय शिक्षा ऐन तर्जुमा गर्ने र सबै विषय अध्ययन गर्नेलाई अध्यापन अनुमतिपत्र परीक्षामा सहभागी हुन पाउने कानूनी व्यवस्था गर्ने भनेकोमा महालेखापरीक्षकका अनुसार ती काम भएका छैनन्। छुट्टै, विद्यालय शिक्षासम्बन्धी कानून संशोधन र एकीकरण गर्ने विद्यालय शिक्षा विधेयक २०८२ वैशाखसम्म संसद्मा विचाराधीन रहेको समाचार छ। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Kantipur OAG 62nd Annual Report, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology chapter, para 4, printed p. 475 (PDF p. 505); Kantipur, 2082-01-19
  • Outdated Federal, provincial and local roles in education have not been sorted out in law. The Auditor General notes that the Constitution's schedules divide education powers among the three levels, yet federal bodies such as the Center for Education and Human Resource Development, the Curriculum Development Centre, the Education Review Office and the education development and coordination units still operate under the Ministry; it asked the Ministry to review their jurisdiction and demarcate the education powers of each level. The Act itself still assigns school oversight to district education offices and committees.शिक्षामा संघ, प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहको भूमिका कानूनमा छुट्याइएको छैन। महालेखापरीक्षकका अनुसार संविधानका अनुसूचीले शिक्षासम्बन्धी अधिकार तीन तहमा बाँडेको छ, तर शिक्षा तथा मानव स्रोत विकास केन्द्र, पाठ्यक्रम विकास केन्द्र, शैक्षिक गुणस्तर परीक्षण केन्द्र र शिक्षा विकास तथा समन्वय एकाइजस्ता संघीय निकाय मन्त्रालयअन्तर्गत नै सञ्चालित छन्; त्यसैले मन्त्रालयले यिनको कार्यक्षेत्र पुनरावलोकन गरी तीनै तहको शिक्षासम्बन्धी अधिकार क्षेत्र किटान गर्नुपर्ने भनेको छ। ऐनले भने अझै विद्यालयको रेखदेख जिल्ला शिक्षा कार्यालय र समितिलाई सुम्पेको छ। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal OAG 63rd Annual Report, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology chapter, para 17.2, printed p. 431 (PDF p. 463); Education Act ss. 10–11, pp. 16–18; Constitution Schedule 8 item 8, p. 182
  • Not enforced Many teacher posts are not filled through the Teacher Service Commission. Section 11ख makes the Commission responsible for recommending appointments to approved community-school teacher posts. The Auditor General found that of 109,125 approved teacher posts, 96,862 were filled and 12,263 had no permanent appointment, with teachers working on temporary or contract terms; in the previous year it had found that vacant posts were not being sent to the Commission at all, and asked the Ministry to fix the number of posts needed based on workload and send vacancies to the Commission.धेरै शिक्षक दरबन्दी शिक्षक सेवा आयोगमार्फत पूर्ति भएका छैनन्। दफा ११ख ले सामुदायिक विद्यालयका स्वीकृत दरबन्दीमा नियुक्तिको सिफारिस गर्ने जिम्मा आयोगलाई दिएको छ। महालेखापरीक्षकका अनुसार कुल १,०९,१२५ शिक्षक दरबन्दीमध्ये ९६,८६२ पूर्ति भई १२,२६३ पदमा स्थायी पदपूर्ति हुन नसकी अस्थायी वा करारमा शिक्षक कार्यरत छन्; अघिल्लो वर्ष पनि रिक्त पद आयोगमा नपठाइएको देखाउँदै मन्त्रालयले कार्यबोझका आधारमा दरबन्दी यकिन गरी रिक्त पद आयोगमा पठाउनुपर्ने भनेको थियो। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Office of the Auditor General, Nepal OAG 63rd Annual Report, MoEST chapter, para 29, printed p. 436 (PDF p. 468); OAG 62nd Annual Report, MoEST chapter, para 16, printed pp. 480–481 (PDF pp. 510–511); Education Act s. 11ख(1), p. 19
  • Capacity Quality testing under the Act is limited and shows weak learning. Section 7ख sets up a centre to test the quality of school education. The Auditor General reports that over the past 14 years national learning assessments covered only grades 3, 5, 8 and 10, and that the latest grade-10 assessment (2081) found 20.4% of students in mathematics, 29.4% in science and technology, 25.9% in Nepali and 12.2% in English below grade level; it called for special programmes to improve learning.ऐनअन्तर्गतको गुणस्तर परीक्षण सीमित छ र सिकाइ कमजोर देखिएको छ। दफा ७ख ले विद्यालय शिक्षाको गुणस्तर परीक्षण गर्ने केन्द्रको व्यवस्था गरेको छ। महालेखापरीक्षकका अनुसार विगत १४ वर्षमा कक्षा ३, ५, ८ र १० को मात्र राष्ट्रिय सिकाइ उपलब्धि परीक्षण भएको छ, र पछिल्लो पटक २०८१ मा गरिएको कक्षा १० को परीक्षणमा गणितमा २०.४, विज्ञान तथा प्रविधिमा २९.४, नेपालीमा २५.९ र अंग्रेजीमा १२.२ प्रतिशत विद्यार्थी कक्षा तहभन्दा तल देखिएका छन्; सिकाइ सुधार्न विशेष कार्यक्रम चलाउन सुझाव दिएको छ। Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal OAG 63rd Annual Report, MoEST chapter, para 15, printed p. 430 (PDF p. 462); Education Act s. 7ख, p. 15

Ideas to fix it

  • Review the jurisdiction of the federal education bodies and demarcate the education powers of the federal, provincial and local levels in line with the Constitution.संघीय शिक्षा निकायहरूको कार्यक्षेत्र पुनरावलोकन गरी संविधानअनुरूप संघ, प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहको शिक्षासम्बन्धी अधिकार क्षेत्र किटान गर्ने। Proposed by: Office of the Auditor General (63rd Annual Report) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal
  • Determine the teacher posts needed on the basis of workload and send vacant posts to the Teacher Service Commission so they are filled permanently.कार्यबोझका आधारमा आवश्यक शिक्षक दरबन्दी यकिन गर्ने र रिक्त पद स्थायी रूपमा पूर्ति गर्न शिक्षक सेवा आयोगमा पठाउने। Proposed by: Office of the Auditor General (62nd and 63rd Annual Reports) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Office of the Auditor General, Nepal
  • Run special programmes to bring a qualitative improvement in students' learning achievement.विद्यार्थीको सिकाइ उपलब्धिमा गुणात्मक सुधार ल्याउन विशेष कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गर्ने। Proposed by: Office of the Auditor General (63rd Annual Report) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal
  • Option: Because the Act still assigns school oversight to district bodies while the Constitution gives basic and secondary education to local levels, a replacement or amending law could set out which level licenses schools, manages teachers and tests quality.विकल्प: ऐनले अझै विद्यालयको रेखदेख जिल्लास्तरीय निकायलाई दिएको तर संविधानले आधारभूत र माध्यमिक शिक्षा स्थानीय तहलाई दिएकाले, नयाँ वा संशोधन कानूनले विद्यालय अनुमति, शिक्षक व्यवस्थापन र गुणस्तर परीक्षण कुन तहले गर्ने भन्ने स्पष्ट पार्न सक्छ। Proposed by: Policy Nepal (option for discussion) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal
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