December 3, 2004
KATHMANDU: The Government of Japan has decided to extend a grant assistance of NRs.581,700,000 in Japan’s FY 2004, to His Majesty’s Government of Nepal for the implementation of the Project for Construction of Primary Schools in support of Education for All (Phase II).
According to a press release of the Kathmandu based Embassy of Japan, notes to this effect were signed and exchanged Friday between His Excellency Tsutomu Hiraoka, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, and Bhanu Prasad Acharya, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of their respective governments.
The grant will be utilized for the procurement of necessary materials for the construction of 524 classrooms, 23 resource centers, 321 toilets, and installation of 143 water supply units in Bara, Dadheldura, Dhading, Makwanpur, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchowk, Kavrepalanchowk, Saptari, Syangja, Dang, Gorkha and Kailali districts. In addition, 17,646 sets of classrooms furniture and 23 sets of furniture for resource centers will also be supplied.
The Government of Japan also provided the grant assistance of ¥683,000,000 for the implementation of the Project under Phase I in six districts in the FY 2003 of which the implementation is currently in progress.
Both the Projects aim at improving the access to primary schools and quality of basic and primary education in the target districts through the improvement of the physical facilities. The overall goal of the Project is to contribute to the realization of the goal of “Education for All by 2015” set out by His Majesty’s Government of Nepal.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Hiraoka expressed his firm hope that the grant extended will be implemented smoothly and successfully. He also expressed his confidence in the grant providing greater accessibility to children in pursuing their primary level education. In addition, he also hoped that the continued Japanese economic cooperation to Nepal would accelerate the socio-economic development programs of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal, thereby, strengthening the existing friendly relations between Japan and Nepal.