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From 1991, there has been 5 years compulsory and free
schooling from the children reaches the age of 6 in Nepal.
Almost all children start school, but many repeat at least
one class. One third of the pupils do not finish primary
school. After primary school, 3-year secondary school and
2-year high school follow. Nepali is the language of
instruction. It is taught in English from 4th grade. Until
1991 it was forbidden to teach in local languages, but
reforms aim to make it possible to teach in local languages
in the first grades. Check topschoolsintheusa for test centers of ACT, SAT, and GRE as well high schools in the country of Nepal.
The country has two public universities, Tribhuvan
University (founded 1959) with departments around the
country, and Mahendra Sanskrit University (1986), and in
addition the private Kathmandu University (1991). According
to UNESCO, illiteracy in 2001 amounted to approx. 57% of the
adult population.
As constitutional rights were now put into effect, the
number of dead grew rapidly - both by civilians and rebels.
The conflict now had the character of a "civil war" and in
April 2002 had cost 2100 lives and sent 100,000 on the run
to neighboring Bhutan.
Despite a 5% annual GDP growth, 40% of the population
lives below the poverty line, 2½ million. children are
working, there is a severe energy crisis and the lack of
water is alarming.
In May 2002, Prime Minister Deuba used the state of
emergency as an excuse to dissolve parliament and print new
elections for November. One month before the election and
after refusing to negotiate with the rebels, Deuba advised
the king to postpone the election for a year while the rebel
pockets came under military control. King Gyanendra fired
Deuba instead and appointed Lokendra Bahadur Chand in his
place. At the same time, he postponed the election
indefinitely.
In late January 2003, the Maoists offered a ceasefire to
start peace talks. Among their demands was that the
government cease to refer to them as "terrorists" and
removed the promise of ransom for the arrest of partisans.
Both claims that Kathmandu agreed to.
In March 2004, Nepal was admitted to the WTO.
In April, opposition groups joined the ongoing strike
against the monarchy joining the executive. Schools and
businesses were closed and the roads were patrolled by
security forces. The same month, the rebels released
officers and security personnel who had been captured during
violent clashes in the northwestern part of the country.
In May, Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa resigned
following repeated opposition protests against the
government. At the same time, the opposition had
demonstrated that King Gyanendra was giving up power, which
could pave the way for a multi-party government.
In June, the king appointed Sher Bahadur Deuba as new
prime minister, declaring that in his office he would seek
to create a consensus in the country.
In August, the rebels conducted an offensive against the
capital, Kathmandu, cutting off the city from the outside
world. In the same month, 20 Nepalese who were abducted in
Iraq were executed by their abductors, sparking fierce
protests in Kathmandu.
A two-day strike in September initiated by the Maoists
paralyzed the country. Roads, shops and schools were closed
as a result of the strike and security forces guarded the
government buildings. The rebels demanded two captured rebel
leaders be released. That same month, the rebels again
rejected a proposal from Sher Bahadur Deuba to begin
negotiations to end the guerrilla struggle.
In February 2005, King Gyanendra conducted a coup d'etat,
ousted the prime minister and personally assumed government
responsibility. The move was a response to demands from the
rebels to negotiate directly with the king and not with his
representatives. In contrast, the coup was criticized by
USA, France and India. Washington also stated that the coup
could jeopardize US humanitarian aid to Nepal.
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