Rudra Neupane, Programme Manager Practical Help Achieving Self Empowerment (PHASE) PHASE Nepal’s Flexible Schooling Programme in Rural Nepal

Rudra Neupane, Programme Manager Practical Help Achieving Self Empowerment (PHASE) Nepal PHASE Nepal’s Flexible Schooling Programme in Rural Nepal

Nepal’s Context at a Glance Lord Buddha’s Birth place Mt. Everest and Himalaya Beautiful nature Abundant water resources Constitution

Nepal’s Context at a Glance One of the poor economy HDI rank 145; Adult literacy 57.4% (male 75.1%, female 42.8%) Mean years of schooling 3.3 (male 4.5, female 2.3

Introduction PHASE Programmes Communit y Health Education Livelihood Relief & Recon- struction

PHASE Nepal Project Areas PHASE Nepal Program Areas

Context: project area Remoteness, poverty Poorly supported local schools Traditional practices Language Lack of education in parent generation Primary school completion rates were <60% in Hagam (Sindhupalchok) and effectively 0% in Chumchet (Gorkha).

Target Populations Chumchet (Gorkha) – homogenous Sherpa community Hagam(Sindhupalchok)- Sindhupalchok– Majority Tamang ethnic Group Both the areas are remote and have been severely affected by the Earthquake 2015

PHASE Nepal Education Development Programs Non-Formal Education Teacher Training Program Girls Empowerment Program PHASE Nepal Education Development Program Child Right Awareness Program Flexible Schooling Program Health Education Program Women Literacy Program

PHASE's Strategies for Out of School Children 1. Flexible Schooling Program (FSP) 2. Girls Empowerment program

PHASE Flexible Schooling Infrastructure Incentives Teachers and Teacher training Child friendly teaching Advocacy and Mainstreaming through community involvement Training teachers Involving parents: Close co-ordination with the community Attendance Incentives for children

PHASE Flexible Schooling: Results and Impacts 5 Alternative Schools, 148 children 5 different remotest localities of Sindhupalchok and Gorkha Quality teaching & learning and awareness in the community 3 schools institutionalized into mainstream schools Replicating in new areas Interactive and Child Friendly Classes

PHASE Girls’ Empowerment Program Rationale of the Project: Empowering local women as girls’ trainers 24 days long girls’ empowerment workshop Moral and material support to girls Advocating girls speaking about their own rights Advocating girls attendance and gender equity in schools Advocating and raising awareness against early marriage of girls (one of the causes of school drop out) Peer Group Support in remote rural environments

Girls’ Empowerment Programme: Results and Impact 23 Local women empowered as trainers 475 adolescent village girls empowered to be able to continue school and to spread their knowledge to the community

Success Stories I used to look after the sheep and help my parents in household work. I spoke Tibetan language only. After PHASE made a school for us, I can now read and write in Nepalese as well as English. Student PHASE Alternative School, Age 9, Yarchu,Chumchet Gorkha I will only get married after I become capable, self-reliant and independent. I will complete my education first and will get married when I become years old. Girls Empowerment Workshop Participant, age 13

Scalability and Sustainability Investing in people: Improve funding of government program Increase numbers of teachers trained in child centered teaching Incentivize teachers to work in remote areas