We need to work harder to increase student retention rate: PM Oli

Kathmandu, April 14: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged one and all to make the Student Enrollment Campaign of the School Session 2082 BS successful.     

Extending best wishes for the Student Enrollment Campaign that commenced today, he said that parents and stakeholders have a key role to play in making the campaign a success.     

PM Oli stressed the need of making school education inclusive and of quality in order to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030, as well as of developing all educational institutions as centres of knowledge and excellence, making education a medium to fulfill the national aspiration of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali'.     

He urged all education activists to work for producing quality and employment-oriented educational human resources as the education sector is one of the bases of prosperity.     

PM Oli stated that 20 per cent of the population is still living below the absolute poverty line in Nepal.     

"We cannot reach the national goal without reducing poverty. Education is the first condition to eradicate poverty. We can't keep our children out of school anymore,” he stated in the message of best wishes.     

Prime Minister Oli said that although the net enrollment rate at the basic level seems to be improving now, it is necessary to work harder to increase the student's sustainability rate. He said that although the net enrollment rate at the basic level seems to be improving now, it is necessary to work harder to increase the student's school retention rate.     

He underscored modernizing education by combining local knowledge, skills and technology and creating employment and self-employment opportunities in the country to improve the student retention rate.     

Prime Minister Oli expressed the government's commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by increasing the share of budget in the education sector and passing the School Education Bill 2081 BS with discussion.     

"At present there is a need to increase investment partnership based on mutual coordination, collaboration and co-existence among the three tiers of government to achieve the goal of compulsory and free basic education and free secondary education," he said.     

According to the PM, it is necessary to create employment opportunities and produce ethical citizens and society through quality education through the effective and constructive use of investment and resources in the education sector.     

"The need of the hour is to put one's knowledge into practice. Knowledge should be used practically for the betterment of the overall aspects of society. We should not only be educated but also courteous," he said.     

PM Oli further said that today's education should be able to make the individual feel responsible towards himself, the family, nation and the international community, and our efforts should be directed to that end.     

In his message of best wishes, PM Oli said it was not appropriate for people or children to remain helpless on the streets in a country like Nepal with high possibilities.     

Stating that the government is carrying out campaign activities to end the situation where children have to live without parents, he hoped that this campaign would also be supportive to the student enrollment campaign.(RSS)