Kathmandu: Save the Children Nepal, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), marked the first year of the INSPIRE project at an event titled “INSPIRE: One Year of Learning, Partnership, and Progress” in Kathmandu. The event brought together students from project schools, representatives of the Government of Nepal, KOICA, Save the Children Korea, education actors, development partners and local stakeholders.
The five-year INSPIRE project is bringing digital learning, practical skills and more inclusive education closer to children and young people in Madhesh Province. In Bara, students are exploring how drones can be used for agricultural monitoring and how 3D printers can turn ideas into working prototypes. In Mahottari, parents and caregivers are finding new ways to support their children’s learning at home.
INSPIRE works across five municipalities in Madhesh Province: Devtal Rural Municipality, Karaiyamai Rural Municipality, Mahagadhimai Municipality, Aurahi Municipality and Loharpatti Municipality.
Speaking at the event, Tara Chettry, Country Director of Save the Children Nepal and Bhutan, said: “Over the past year, INSPIRE has shown us what is possible when children, teachers, parents, communities, municipalities and partners come together. Our Maker Spaces are a powerful example, not simply rooms filled with technology, but places where children can experiment, create, make mistakes, solve problems and try again. This kind of experiential learning makes education more engaging, helps children stay connected to school, and strengthens the cognitive, creative and learning behaviours.”
In seven secondary schools in Bara, INSPIRE has established Tech Labs and Maker Spaces equipped with computers, smart boards, power backup systems and electronic materials, creating new opportunities for students to experiment, design, build and solve problems.
The project also focuses on teacher training, remedial learning, home-learning support, attendance systems, bursary support and vocational skills pathways for adolescents and young people, helping address barriers to learning while strengthening pathways towards future opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Shankar Prasad Adhikari, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, said that education transformation begins with investment at the foundational level, with all three tiers of government and education partners working together to advance access, quality, inclusion and digital education.
“For municipalities like ours, education is not only about buildings and exams. It is about giving children the right environment to learn and grow,” said Upendra Prasad Yadav, Mayor of Mahagadhimai Municipality, Bara. “When children in our public schools start using technology, asking questions and learning practical skills, it gives us hope and also more responsibility.”
Local NGO partners, including Jan Jagaran Youth Club in Bara and Community Development and Advocacy Forum Nepal in Mahottari, have played an important role in implementing INSPIRE, working closely with schools, families, communities and local governments.
“For KOICA, this project has special significance. It is our first strategic civil society partnership project in Nepal. It also brings together three areas that are essential to Nepal’s future: quality education, digital transformation, and the job readiness of young people,” said Mooheon Kong, Country Director of KOICA Nepal Office,
Joon Oh, Board Chair of Save the Children Korea, said the first year of INSPIRE demonstrates how partnerships can create new possibilities for children. “INSPIRE is also supporting young people as they prepare for the transition from school to work. By strengthening access to vocational and digital skills connected to local needs and opportunities, we hope to open pathways to decent work, entrepreneurship, and greater self-reliance,” he said.
In its next phase, INSPIRE will continue working with local governments, schools, families and communities to address barriers linked to poverty, learning loss, limited school facilities, unequal access to technology and climate-related disruptions in Madhesh Province, according to Save the Children.
