Kathmandu. The government has announced an ‘Assured Future Scholarship Scheme’ worth about one billion rupees for the education of students affected by the floods.

The Ministry of Education and Sports in collaboration with various agencies of the federal government, provincial and local governments, umbrella organizations of private school operators, government and non-governmental organizations aims to provide free education to flood-affected students.

Similarly, there will be collaborations with other government and non-governmental organizations. This scholarship program will cover students studying from early childhood development education to class 12. About one thousand students will be provided scholarships.

The Ministry has also appealed to the private sector, business sector, government and non-government organizations to contribute to the scholarship scheme.

Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel announced the scholarship scheme at a program organized at the Ministry on Monday. According to the scheme, the students will be provided with full, partial and residential scholarships, along with textbooks, uniforms, educational materials, accommodation and food.

On the occasion, Minister Pokharel praised the social responsibility shown by the private and institutional schools during the time of disaster. He said that the support received from the country and abroad has given more energy and encouragement to the government during the time of disaster.

“Seeing the helping hands being extended makes me realize that the state is not alone. It has given a message that the state should stand strong in such times,” he said.

The Education sector has risen above the institutional responsibilities to support the country during disasters and expressed the belief that this collaboration would help in long-term management and preparedness for the coming disasters and accidents in the future.

Minister Pokharel said the scholarships would be distributed based on the statistics of the affected students.

Chief Advisor to the Education Minister, Shailendra Jha, said that the scholarship program has been launched in collaboration with private school organizations for the continuity of education of children affected by disaster. He said that short-term and long-term plans have been put forward to ensure the education of children by converting national mourning into power.

Joint Secretary at the Ministry, Shree Prasad Bhattarai said the scholarship programme would be implemented by dividing the affected students into different groups and determining their priorities on the basis of statistics.

Preparations are being made to mobilize the necessary resources for the education of the affected children from the private sector. Private and Boarding Schools Organization Nepal (PABSON), National Private and Boarding Schools Organization Nepal (NPABSAN), Higher Schools and Secondary Schools Association (HISSAN), Association of Pre-School Education Nepal (APIN) and Montessori Association Nepal will also be involved in this process. Other agencies and organizations will also be involved in this process.

Based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Sports, private schools and other supporting institutions have proposed to provide scholarships and necessary physical and educational support to the affected children.

According to the scholarship scheme, children who have not been able to attend school due to floods, those who have lost their parents or family members or have lost contact or need special assistance will be given priority.

Students will be provided full or partial scholarship, residential scholarship, school fee waiver or waiver, textbooks, uniform, educational materials, accommodation and food and other facilities to the students on the basis of their need and relevance.

HISSAN President Yubaraj Sharma said that a scholarship program worth one billion rupees has been initiated for the education of the affected children and about one thousand students will be provided scholarships. He said that the program will be taken forward in a long-term way with the help of national and international organizations.

PABSON President Krishna Prasad Adhikari said that the scholarship program has been brought in collaboration with five umbrella organizations of private school operators. He said that the program is being implemented in coordination with the ministry as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Chudamani Poudel, high-level officials and representatives from private educational sector including PABSON, N-PABSON, HISSAN, APIN and Montessori Association Nepal were present in the program.

The identification of the affected students will be done on the basis of an on-site survey and recommendations from the school, ward office and local level. Full, partial and residential scholarships and other educational and physical assistance will be provided on the basis of need and relevance.

On August 23, 15 local levels of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Tanahun were affected by the massive flood in the Bhotekoshi River of Rasuwa. The government has declared these local levels as disaster-hit areas.

According to the preliminary information, 19 schools in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading have been completely and partially damaged by the floods. According to the report, 16 teachers and 217 students are out of contact and the learning of 9,742 students has been affected.