KATHMANDU, Sept 8: The 39th National Education Day and 52nd International Literacy Day are being observed throughout the country on Saturday.

The theme for the Day is ‘Skilled Human Resources Development and Sustainable Educational Infrastructure – the Basis of Building Socialism-oriented Prosperous Nation.’

The main program committee chaired by the Minister for Education, Science and Technology is to award various outstanding schools and educationalists and confer the Bidyabhusan medals on university graduates topping in various examinations held under the different faculties.

The committee has urged the province and local governments also to celebrate the Day by conducting sapling planting and clean-up program at schools.

On the eve of the Day, the Ministry on Friday launched the Policy and Program on Reforming the Educational Quality in Community Schools, 2018.

The primary school enrollment rate has reached 97.2 per cent at present.

KATHMANDU, Sept 8: President Bidya Devi Bhandari conferred academic medals and certificates on various students celebrating their outstanding achievements in the Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL) and Bachelor’s degree examinations amidst a special program organized today at the Shital Niwas.

The program was held on the occasion of International Literacy Day and the 38th National Education Day.

The total 215 students received Nepal Bidhyabhushan Padak ‘A’, while 82 were given away the Nepal Bidhyabhushan Pada ‘ B’ and 28 were awarded the Nepal Bidhyabhushan Padak ‘C’.

Likewise, 23 students who topped the Bachelor’s level got Nepal Chhatra Bidhyapadak, and three outstanding performers in the PCL results received the Nepal Chhatra Bidhyapadak.

Addressing the event, President Bhandari expressed hope that those winning the medals would utilise their education and knowledge for the welfare of the society, and for achieving economic prosperity.

“Education not only makes people aware socially, economically and politically, but also helps create atmosphere conducive for economic prosperity,” the Head-of-the-State said. She also stressed the need for making higher education accessible to all and quality.

Stating that provision of free education up to secondary level in the new constitution was a matter of pride, President Bhandari urged concerned ones for reconstruction of quake-damaged educational institutions at the earliest.

The Head of the State said, “It is imperative for the policy makers and stakeholders in education sector to devise policies and programs to attract those Nepalis youth taking education abroad so that they could use their skills, experience and expertise for the sake of their motherland.”

President Bhandari said that the country was gearing up for the last phase of local level election in the Province no 2 as well as the other elections as federal and House of Representatives and expressed her confidence that these elections would help institutionalize and strengthen the legal and constitutional provisional for good governance.
She also spoke of the need for Nepal to upgrade itself into the developing nations from the least developing country.

Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education Gopal Man Shrestha argued that education was the first step towards development. He also underscored the need to enhance the quality of education and ensure reforms and diversification in the education sector. RSS