Bhotekoshi flood forces 777 pupils out of school, Nepal unveils five-year rebuilding plan

The Bhotekoshi flood on August 26 displaced 777 pupils and disrupted education across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, with 28 schools suffering damage and 15 razed. Authorities have placed displaced children in nearby schools and established temporary learning centres, while 118 teachers were also forced to relocate. The Ministry of Education and Sports, together with the National Planning Commission, estimates flood damage to the education sector at billions of rupees and proposes a five-year recovery program requiring more than Rs3 billion.

The plan focuses on rebuilding and retrofitting schools, restoring teaching resources, and delivering psychosocial counselling to thousands of affected students and teachers. It also includes measures to relocate schools from high-risk riverbanks and to prioritize children with disabilities and those from low-income families. Separate assistance for vulnerable children is being provided through a new agreement between the National Child Rights Council and SOS Children’s Villages Nepal.