Nepal's Education System: Roles & Responsibilities (Federal to School Level)

Following Nepal's transition to a federal structure, education governance is distributed across three tiers of government. Here's who does what:

I. Federal Level

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST):
- Core Role: Sets national vision, policy, standards & norms.
- Key Functions:
  - Formulates national education policies & federal plans.
  - Coordinates with National Planning Commission (NPC), Ministry of Finance (MoF), & other ministries.
  - Collaborates with international development partners.
  - Oversees overall monitoring & evaluation (M&E) of education programs.
  - Manages international relations & agreements in education.
Key Agencies under MoEST:
- Centre for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD):
  - Develops strategic plans for school education.
  - Sets standards for teacher training & programs.
  - Develops teacher training curricula.
  - Manages educational statistics/information systems.
  - Builds capacity of education staff.
  - Certifies teacher development programs.
- Curriculum Development Centre (CDC):
  - Develops national curriculum & textbooks.
  - Creates supplementary learning materials.
  - Sets standards for student assessment.
- Education Review Office (ERO):
  - Conducts national student learning assessments.
  - Performs school performance audits & program impact evaluations.
  - Researches educational issues to inform policy reform.
Autonomous Federal Bodies:
- Teacher Service Commission (TSC):
  - Conducts teaching license examinations.
  - Recommends candidates for permanent teacher posts.
  - Manages teacher promotions.
- National Examination Board (NEB):
  - Conducts national examinations (currently Grade 12).
  - Coordinating Grade 10 exams with provinces (transition underway).
  - Will eventually administer only Grade 12 exams.
- Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT): Manages and coordinates Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) nationwide.
- University Grants Commission (UGC): Regulates & funds universities.
Other: Universities (teacher preparation), Teacher Records Office (MoFAGA - manages pensions and records of retired teachers).

II. Provincial Level (7 Provinces)

Provincial Education Ministry:
- Implements federal policies adapted to provincial context.
- Manages provincial education plans & budgets.
Key Provincial Agencies:
- Education Development Directorate (EDD):
  - Formulates, implements, monitors & evaluates provincial education plans.
  - Supports NEB in managing SEE (Grade 10) exams (during transition).
  - Supports TSC in teacher selection processes.
- Provincial Education Training Centre (ETC):
  - Delivers teacher professional development programs.
  - Runs mandatory 1-month Teacher Certification Training (phased).
  - Conducts customized teacher training (online/offline).
  - Uses CEHRD-approved curricula.

III. Local Level (753 Municipalities/Rural Municipalities)

Education Section/Division:
- Core Role: Directly manages basic school education (Grades 1-8).
- Key Functions (23 mandated tasks):
  - Develops, implements, monitors & evaluates local education plans.
  - Appoints & deploys teachers (based on TSC recommendations).
  - Manages school infrastructure & resources.
  - Oversees day-to-day school operations.
Education Development and Coordination Unit (EDCU) (District Level - 77 units):
- Coordinates education activities across Local Levels within the district.
- Handles education tasks beyond the 23 core Local Level functions.
- Operates under the Federal MoEST.

IV. School Level

Head Teacher: Manages daily school administration & operations.
School Management Committee (SMC): Oversees school governance, planning, & resource management.
Teacher-Parent Association (TPA): Facilitates parent-teacher collaboration & school improvement.

V. Key Functional Processes

Teacher Management:
- Preparation: Universities & Higher Secondary Schools.
- Licensing & Recruitment: TSC (Exams, Licensing, Recommendations) → Local Level (Appointment/Deployment).
- Professional Development: MoEST (Policy) → CEHRD (Standards/Curriculum) → Provincial ETCs (Delivery).
- Promotion: TSC.
- Retirement Records/Pensions: Teacher Records Office (MoFAGA).
Curriculum & Assessment:
- Curriculum/Textbooks: CDC (Federal).
- Examinations:
  - Grade 8: Local Level (responsibility clarity evolving).
  - Grade 10: Provincial Govts (in coordination with NEB, transition underway).
  - Grade 12: NEB (Federal).
Planning & Funding:
- Integrated plans utilize federal conditional grants and provincial/Local budgets.

Critical Challenges & Evolving Areas

Coordination Gaps: Strengthening collaboration & accountability between Federal, Provincial, and Local tiers is essential.
Examination Transition: Clear guidelines & capacity needed for Local (Grade 8) and Provincial (Grade 10) exam administration.
Teacher Support Vacuum:
- The dissolution of Resource Centers and Inspectors has crippled supervision.
- Urgent Need: Robust local teacher support system (short-term) & sustainable long-term mechanism.
Insufficient Training Capacity:
- Only 7 Provincial ETCs (down from 29) are unable to train all teachers effectively. Expansion is critical.
Unclear Provincial/Local Mandates: Role definitions, job descriptions & implementation mechanisms for Provinces/Local Levels need refinement.
Technical Assistance: Local Levels lack clear pathways for receiving technical support on school management.
Monitoring & Information Sharing: Systems for sharing M&E data across tiers and with stakeholders need strengthening.
TVET Coordination: Defining effective Federal/Provincial structures to manage CTEVT institutions, school technical streams & private providers.
Structural & Capacity Review: All levels (especially EDCUs & EDDs) need restructuring, capacity building, and a service-oriented culture.

In Summary: Nepal's education system is a work-in-progress under federalism. While roles are defined at each tier (Federal: Policy/Standards, Provincial: Implementation/Training, Local: School Management), significant challenges remain in coordination, capacity, clarity of mandates, and support systems (especially for teachers). Addressing these gaps is crucial for achieving equitable, quality education nationwide.