In six community schools within Bharatpur Metropolitan City, SOS Children’s Villages Nepal is implementing the “Promoting Educational Resilience of Schools on Equitable Access to Education” project in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Switzerland.
This three-year initiative (June 2022 – May 2025) aims to address the significant setbacks in the education sector due to COVID-19. The objectives of the project are to minimise learning gaps, strengthen the capacity of schools to enhance the quality of education, improve the educational resilience of the schools, and promote equitable access to education. The project has been designed holistically to meet the needs of students, teachers, communities, and stakeholders through various activities. It seeks to remove barriers to educational progress and address them through strategic approaches and actions.
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One of the key components of the project is the mid-day meal initiative, which targets students in Grades I to VI, enhancing their nutrition and encouraging regular school attendance. As a result, parents are more motivated to send their children to school, which has reduced dropout rates and improved academic continuity.
Mr Bijay Raj Khanal, headteacher of Shree Secondary School Gauriganj, emphasised the programme’s impact, stating, “The mid-day meal programme provides necessary nutrition, improves school attendance, and reduces dropout rates. Most students come from economically disadvantaged families, so this programme is crucial for their well-being.”