Education as a Creator of Injustices in Nepal
Presenter Commentator
Ratna Tamang Sujan Lamsal
Distinguished
Prof. Dr. Janardan Ghimire
Introduction�
Education in Nepal often acts as a tool that deepens social inequality instead of fixing it.
According to Paulo Freire, education becomes a tool of injustice when it functions as the "banking model" of education.
The Paradox: Access Without Equity
Near-Universal Enrollment, Persistent Exclusion
Nepal achieved 89% upper secondary enrollment — yet 595,209 children remain out-of-school at primary or secondary level.
Access expands — but education perpetuates inequality across caste, gender, wealth, and geography.
35%
Only 35% of students reach upper secondary
61%
Minimum proficiency in mathematics achieved by just 61%
Caste and Gender: Intersecting Hierarchies
Caste Attainment Gap
Dalit and Janajati students' school attainment is considerably lower than Brahman and Chhetri peers — a structural inheritance, not individual failure.
Gender Gains Mask Deeper Disparities
Girls complete lower secondary at 66% vs boys at 79%; only 34% of girls reach upper secondary completion vs 37% of boys.
Compounding Exclusion
Dalit girls in private schools and girls with disabilities face significantly lower grade transition ratios — injustices compound at every intersection.
The Rural-Urban Divide: Widening Gaps
Primary Completion
Only 76% of lowest-income households complete primary school
Lower Secondary
Just 62% complete lower secondary among the poorest quintile
Upper Secondary
A mere 10% of lowest-income households reach upper secondary completion
Structural Deprivation in Rural Nepal
Rural areas lack access to adequately staffed primary and secondary schools. Urban private schools hire selectively qualified teachers, deepening the quality gap.
Rural children perform household chores before school, and one-third of Nepal's total population remains illiterate — with disproportionately higher rates in rural communities.
History of Linguistic Suppression
Language and Curriculum: Erasure of Indigenous Knowledge
The Mechanism: How Education Reproduces Injustice
Constitutional Promises
Progressive policies and guarantees of equitable education remain on paper
Economic Stratification
Public schools enroll 51.2% girls vs 41.5% in private schools — wealth determines quality of education received
Labor Market Failure
Education fails to deliver equitable returns — female graduates earn substantially less than male counterparts at every level
Structural Barriers: Beyond Individual Effort
Toward Decolonial and Inclusive Education
Recognise Education as a Site of Power
Curriculum must centre indigenous languages, local knowledge systems, and decolonial epistemologies — not merely add them at the margins.
Address Structural Inequalities Directly
Targeted investment in rural schools, rigorous teacher training, and the active dismantling of caste-based discrimination within educational institutions.
Reframe Education's Purpose
From reproducing hierarchies to fostering critical consciousness and social transformation — education must serve the marginalised, not the already privileged.
Conclusion
Nepal has improved access to education, but access alone has not eliminated inequality. Caste, gender, poverty, geography, and language continue to shape educational opportunities.
Sources
Barriers to Education and School Attainment — Evidence from Secondary Schools in Rural Nepal — Neupane, International Education Studies, CCSE
Systemic Reforms for Equitable Education in Nepal: Bridging Policy Promises and Persistent Inequalities — Nepal Public Policy Review
What Factors in Nepal Account for the Rural–Urban Discrepancy in Human Capital? Evidence from Household Survey Data — MDPI Economies
Nepal's Deep Educational Divides — D+C Development and Cooperation
Language Education Policy in Nepal and the Denial of the Right to Speak in Indigenous Languages — Melbourne Asia Review