Kathmandu, Nepal: A new finding from the Bagmati School Readiness Report has highlighted a significant disparity in school readiness among children attending institutional and community schools in Bagmati Province.
According to the report, 66.7% of children in institutional schools are on track for school readiness, compared with just 34.1% of children in community schools-a gap of 32.6 percentage points.
The findings point to the need for stronger and more consistent implementation of Nepal’s national Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) policy and curriculum across all types of schools. Ensuring equitable access to quality early childhood learning could play an important role in narrowing the readiness gap before children enter formal schooling.
The report also highlights the importance of age-appropriate entry into early childhood education and Grade 1. Ensuring that children enter ECED at 4 years or older and Grade 1 at 5 years or older can help children learn according to their developmental stage and receive education at the appropriate level.
The findings underline that school readiness is not only about whether a child attends school, but also about when they enter, what quality of learning they receive, and whether national ECED standards are effectively implemented.
Closing the readiness gap will require coordinated efforts from government agencies, local governments, schools, teachers, families and development partners. Strengthening ECED implementation-particularly in community schools-can help ensure that every child in Bagmati Province begins formal education with a stronger and more equitable foundation.
For Nepal, investing in quality early childhood development is ultimately an investment in better learning outcomes, greater educational equity and a stronger future for every child.
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