The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will start school enrolment campaign on April 15. Less than two weeks remain for the new academic session.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said all children have a right to school education. He will participate in the campaign that aims to increase the net enrolment of students from the existing 97.2 percent.

The Ministry will campaign in the country with focus on eight Tarai and Karnali districts where the number of children out of school is higher. Among the 313,289 out-of-school children from the basic level (grade one to eight), 25,515 are from Sarlahi district. The federal government will conduct the campaign with the support of local and provincial governments.

While PM Oli will boost the campaign by enrolling an out-of-school child from Jumla, celebrities including Hari Bansa Acharya, Aani Chhoing Dolma, and Mithila Sharma among others will help spread awareness on the importance of education and attract pupils to schools.

Currently, Nepal’s school system has 7.24 million students. Speaking at an event, Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel said, “We are working with a spirit to bring all the children in the school system.” He said all children would receive a full set of textbooks on the day they enroll.Along with providing free textbooks, the ministry will grant scholarship and day meals to retain students. Although Nepal has made tremendous progress in enrolling school students from 80 percent ten years ago, the dropout and class repetition rates remain too high.