Nepal’s education budget must fund thinking, not just schooling

Nepal aims to prepare its children for an AI-driven future, but its education budget tells a different story.

Nepal is aiming to prepare its children for an AI-driven future, but its education budget tells a different story. As part of its vision for education by 2030, the country has committed to allocating 20 percent of the national budget, or 5 percent of GDP, to education, yet spending has remained between 10 percent and 11 percent of the national budget and below 3 percent of GDP. This is not just a financial gap. The budget reflects what our country chooses to prioritise. We cannot keep saying we want children to think critically, solve problems, communicate well and prepare for an AI-driven future while the classrooms meant to build those skills remain underfunded.