KATHMANDU, July 22: Government of Japan has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Japanese Yen (JPY) 628 million (equivalent to approximately Rs 639.9 million) to Nepal under the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) first and second phase and JPY 300 million (equivalent to approximately Rs 305.7 million) for the School Sector Development Program (SSDP) respectively.

Separate agreements to this effect were signed and exchanged at the Ministry of Finance on Monday.

Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Mr. Masamichi Saigo and Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Rajan Khanal, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective government.

The JDS program has started in Nepal since 2015 with objectives of supporting human resources development in the public sector by providing opportunity to pursue higher education in the renowned Japanese Universities with a full scholarship.

The program is popular in Nepal and highly demanded.

According to the Finance Ministry press release, the JDS fellows are expected to return to Nepal after completion of the study and contribute to the socio-economic development.

Besides, the JDS fellows are expected to contribute to strengthening the partnership between the two countries through institutional and individual network development.

Likewise, SSDP is a continuation of already completed School Sector Reform Program led by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

It aims at improving quality, spurring equitable access and efficiency of basic and secondary education with the strengthened institutional capacity of Government schools.

It will focus on textbook distribution, student scholarships, teachers’ management and development. This program is being implemented under the Sector Wide Approach (SWAP).

Harmonization and coordination under Joint Financing Arrangement (JFA) with other development partners is a unique feature of this program which is in line with the government’s International Development Cooperation Mobilization Policy.

This is the seven years period program started in Fiscal Year 2019/20.

The Government of Nepal has expressed its appreciation to the Government of Japan for this assistance and its continued support to the socio-economic development of Nepal. RSS

 KATHMANDU, July 14: The Government of Finland has agreed to provide Rs 2.36 billion grant assistance (20 million Euro) for the implementation of School Sector Development Program (SSDP).

An agreement to this effect was signed and exchanged between Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Baikuntha Aryal and Finnish ambassador to Nepal Jorma Suvanto on behalf of their respective governments, amid a program at the Ministry of Finance in Kathmandu today.

The SSDP is a continuation of School Sector Reform Program (SSRP) and its objective is to improve quality, equitable access and efficiency of basic and secondary education in Nepal.

It also focuses on specific SSDP outcomes in main result areas, improved teaching-learning outcomes, improving equitable access to basic and secondary education and strengthening education system, sector planning, management and governance.

It will be implemented by the Department of Education of Nepal throughout a period of 2016-2022 in a more harmonized and coordinated way through joint financing arrangement with other development partners, said a program official.

Meanwhile in response, the Government of Nepal has expressed its appreciation to the Government of Finland for this assistance and expressed hope for its continued support in the socioeconomic development of Nepal in the future. RSS