Strong Foundations: Early Education in Rural Nepal

The Nepali New Year 2080 began on April 14th (1 Baisakh), and therefore schools have been closed for the holiday period. They are reopening now, during this last week of April, for the new school year.

And hundreds of new and returning pre-k and kindergarten children have more enriching and attractive early childhood development classrooms in which to learn this year - thanks to your support!

Recently, ETC has provided lots of new furniture and classroom materials to the 23 ECD classrooms that we support. Twelve of these classrooms are on the campuses of primary and secondary schools, and the remaining eleven are affiliated with the schools but physically located off-campus in village buildings because of space constraints.

We've also provided playground equipment on school campuses where it was most needed.

Some of the new items have been "test-driven" already, as you can see from the photos, and all of them will be put to very good use in the months and years to come!

Last school year's ECD classroom enrollment total was 477 children (243 girls and 234 boys), and we expect that there will be many or more during the school year that is just beginning. Every one of those kids deserves a great place to learn and grow. Thank you again for helping to make that happen! 

Links:

• ETC's YouTube channel
• ETC's Facebook page
• ETC's website: photos and publications page

In Nepal, the school year is beginning to wrap up. Many of this year's early childhood education students will be ready to move up to grade 1 in April 2023. The skills and habits they have been developing in their current classrooms - including regular attendance, getting along with peers, recognition of letters and shapes, etc. - will go a long way toward helping them succeed throughout their academic lives.

And it's friends like you who are helping to make their success possible! 

ETC and project partner Save the Earth are currently working with 23 early education classrooms with a combined total enrollment of about 400 children.

Here are some highlights from the past few months:

• We have facilitated several meetings for parents of early education students. Parents are encouraged to ensure that their children attend school daily, to interact with their children on the subject of their school experience, and to maintain communication with the teachers.
• We have provided a wide variety of enriching classroom materials, indoor and outdoor recreational items, and furniture/accessories (cushions, shelving, tables, etc.) to all 23 classrooms according to their needs and available space.
• The early education teachers' network is going strong! The quarterly meetings provide a fantastic framework for these teachers, who would otherwise have virtually no access to any kind of professional development or targeted support, to learn and practice new classroom techniques. They also benefit from sharing successes and challenges with their peers who "get it" and can offer ideas, inspiration, and motivation to one another.

As always, we thank you very much for your interest in and support of our work. We would not be able to do it without you! 

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2023.

Links:

• ETC's website: photos and publications page
• ETC's Facebook page
• ETC's YouTube channel