The rally, which was started on Saturday morning with Education Minister Sarbendra Nath Sukla netting a goal into a symbolic post erected at Babar Mahal, showcased solidarity from over 500 persons including educationists, celebrities, government officials and campaigners. The rally concluded at New Baneshwor.

Minister Sukla said in this inaugural speech that the government was committed to allocate 20 percent of the total national budget to meet the Education For All (EFA) goal by 2015. Sukla signed a banner expressing his solidarity to the campaign’s policy demand regarding the 20 percent budget, and also the proposals to ensure schools as the ‘Zone of Peace’ and transparency in educational policies and functioning.

Nepal is also hosting as a partner the ‘1 Goal: Education For All’ campaign, a global event launched on occasion of the South Africa World Cup 2010 with the objective of drawing significant attention toward the EFA goal.

CA Delegate Shanta Chaudhary addressing the 1 Goal rally in Naya Baneshwor

As it ended up at New Baneshwor, the rally turned into a mass meeting in front of the Constituent Assembly (CA) building. Addressing the gathering, the CA member Shanta Chaudhary said that no child should be deprived of an opportunity to go to schools and promised that she would take up the EFA goal as a significant issue with the parliament.

Dergha Narayan Shrestha, the ‘Education Coordinator’ at the AIN, had highlighted the objective of the rally in particular as well as of the 1Goal campaign while welcoming the participants.

National Campaign for Eduaction Nepal (NCEN) and AIN has been steering the campaign in Nepal since the beginning of the biggest sports event of the world.

Film actor Mithila Sharma and Theatre artist Nisha Sharma chanting 1 Goal Education for All slogan in the closing program of first phase of the campaign in Naya Baneshwor

Reported by Sundar Khanal