Kathmandu, Dec. 15 (RSS): The Government of the Kingdom of Norway has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Norwegian Kroner (nok) 195 million (approximately Rs. 1,664.6 million) to His Majesty’s Government for implementation of the basic and primary education programme, Phase II.

The grant includes the Norwegian contribution of nok 183.3 million to the joint donor funding of Core Investment Programme (cip) component and the rest as technical assistance to the programme over the period July 16, 1999 to July 15, 2004.

An agreement to this effect was signed here today between His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and the government of the Kingdom of Norway.

Mr. Madhav Prasad Ghimire, Joint secretary at the Finance Ministry and Ms. Ingrid Ofstad, Minister Counsellor, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

It may be recalled that the basic and primary education programme II(bepep II) has been implemented from the current fiscal year with the aim of expanding access and improving primary school enrollment of children, specially of girls and socially disadvantaged children in school or in alternate schooling programmes, improving learning achievement and strengthening institutional capacity at the national, district and community levels to plan, monitor and improve the performance of primary schools.

On completion of besep II, the net enrollment rate in primary education is expected to increase to 90 per cent from the present rate of 79 per cent and average test score for grade 3 and 5 children raised to 75 per cent from the present level of 45.

His Majesty’s Government has expressed its sincere appreciation and thanks to the government of the Kingdom of Norway for its continued assistance in the socio-economic development of Nepal.