Education in Nepal

According to government statistics almost 14% of children of primary-school-age are not enrolled (Government of Nepal 2006a:43-45). Moreover, a major challenge at primary school level is retention. Enrolment figures in class 1 are high, but a large number of these one-enrolled children drop out of school before completing primary level. Furthermore, despite primary school figures showing a positive trend in enrolment, at lower secondary level the number of enrolled children drops significantly, with more than 50% out of schools. Enrolment levels of particular groups, such as marginalised-caste and Muslim communities are still below of others.
Although the gender gap in school enrolment in Nepal has declined, it still exists and increases as children get older. Besides a gender gap, literacy rates vary among regions and districts across Nepal. Interestingly, literacy rates are not per definition lowest in remote areas. The dramatic low enrolment rates in the Terai are caused especially by low enrolment of girls in those areas.
There are two groups of factors that influence the school attendance of children. The first group includes factors like poverty, often increased due to recent change in circumstances at home such as divorce, illness or death of one or both of the caregivers; and discriminatory practices leading to social exclusion. As long as there is poverty and social exclusion, there will always be children out of school. The second group of factors includes those that impede school attendance, but which are never the sole reason for a child to be out of school. These factors, such as work and school quality and accessibility factors such as a convenient location of the school, proper facilities, and the presence of female teachers, should not be underestimated. A combination of such factors does lead to children out of school. If these factors are kept in mind and are tackled appropriately, the strategy may positively contribute to retaining children in schools.
Many children drop out in their early teens after having received a few years of schooling. It is around this age that children are able to contribute to the household's income by working or by getting marries, which is still common in particular communities. These activities still compete with schooling. The school should offer children an environment that is attractive to them and which keeps motivated to attend them daily in order to complete primary level. It is essential to provide supportive incentives aimed at removing direct causes for parents to take their children out of school at this age. This includes affordability incentives, but also asks for a focus on increasing accessibility of (lower-) secondary school, instead of increasing enrolment at primary level only.
Source: http://www.cwinnepal.org/