KATHMANDU: European Union (EU)’s ambassador to Nepal, Veronique Lorenzo, today paid a courtesy call on Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel.

During the meeting held at the Singha Durbar-based Ministry of Education and Sports, the two exchanged views on potential areas of bilateral cooperation in the future, assessing the long-standing friendly relations between Nepal and EU and the cooperation in the education sector.

On the occasion, the Minister said that the Ministry has launched various policy and structural initiatives aiming to reform the education sector.

He said that the Education Act and the Technical and Vocational Education Act have been considered and implemented as key policy instruments related to school education. He added that the matters required to be revised are also in the government’s consideration.

According to the Minister, work is at progress to revise the National Curriculum Framework.

He said that the Ministerial-level initiatives are underway in the areas of good governance reform in technical and vocational education, ending the existing dilemma regarding the executive role, professional development of teachers and ‘digital’ education.

The Minister went on to state that the Ministry is ready to collaborate with the EU, within an appropriate framework, on the education sector reforms proposed by the Ministry.

He further said that the Ministry has prioritised providing training to Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers on the early identification and screening of autism. He expressed confidence that collaboration with the EC in this area will continue in the coming days.

EU’s Ambassador Lorenzo said that EU’s cooperation with Nepal in the areas of its education sector is one of the priorities of the EC. She pledged to continue the cooperation in the education sector in the days to come, too.

The ambassador apprised the Minister that the EU has been working in a necessary framework (2028- 2034) targeting reforms in Nepal’s education sector.

She assured the Minister that the EU is ready to cooperate with Nepal in the areas of school education, technical and vocational education, digital education and the professional development of teachers in the days to come.