All nine local levels of Darchula district have come up with and started a full 10-Year Village Education Plan (VEP), which is a big step toward making the education system better. This plan, set to run from the fiscal year 2081/82 to 2090/91, aims to ensure quality education and overall development for children across the district.
Following the guidelines provided by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) and the Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD), eight local governments — including two municipalities and six rural municipalities — have already completed their plans. The remaining rural municipality, Marma, is currently finalizing its plan despite some delays aligning with the central framework.
Lokendra Bahadur Bam, Education Section Chief at Duhu Rural Municipality, shared that the VEP focuses on providing holistic development opportunities for children. This means making sure that everyone can use Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs, making ECD services better, making learning environments more child-friendly, and encouraging kids with ECD experience to enroll in Grade 1.
Rajendra Prasad Joshi, the Education Officer for Marma Rural Municipality, said that they couldn’t fully follow the CEHRD framework since they didn’t have enough time. But the strategy is still being worked on to make sure it meets its main goals.
Jayaraj Pant, head of the Education Development and Coordination Unit (EDCU) in Darchula, stressed that local levels are responsible for both making and carrying out the plan because they work on their own. He underlined how important it is to include this 10-year vision in the municipal budgets, policies, and yearly plans. According to Pant, this long-term plan will not only guide education reform but also serve as a tool to measure the performance of local governments.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has extended both technical and financial support to bring the VEP to life. With its implementation, stakeholders are hopeful that children across Darchula will benefit from better access, active participation, and improved quality in early childhood and basic education.
This education initiative reflects a strong local commitment to inclusive and sustainable educational development in remote regions of Nepal.
