Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES)

Ministry of Education and Sports (शिक्षा तथा खेलकुद मन्त्रालय)

Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) is the central government ministry responsible for Nepal’s education policy, planning, coordination, and national-level education administration. Established in 1951, the ministry is located on the Singha Durbar premises in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The Government of Nepal renamed the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) as the Ministry of Education and Sports through the Council of Ministers meeting held on 30 Baishakh 2083 BS, corresponding to May 13, 2026 AD.

Quick Highlights

• Name: Ministry of Education and Sports (in Nepali: शिक्षा तथा खेलकुद मन्त्रालय)

• Abbreviation: MoES

• Established: 1951

• Location: Singha Durbar premises, Kathmandu, Nepal

• Renaming decision: 30 Baishakh 2083 BS / May 13, 2026 AD

• Primary role: National education policy, planning, coordination, and administration

• Key linked bodies: University Grants Commission (UGC), National Examination Board (NEB), CTEVT, CEHRD, CDC, Teachers Service Commission (TSC)

Institutional Overview

The Ministry of Education and Sports works as the apex body for Nepal’s education sector. Its responsibilities cover policy formulation, planning, administration, and coordination across the national education system. Through its agencies and related institutions, the ministry works across school education, higher education, technical education, vocational training, teacher management, curriculum, examinations, libraries, science, and technology.

The ministry’s work connects central-level planning with provincial, district, and local education structures. Central Level Agencies design, run, and monitor programs, while Regional Education Directorates monitor programs carried out through district-level bodies. District Education Offices and Resource Centres serve as local-level structures for education plans and programs.

National Education Role

MoES coordinates national education policy and education reform programs. The ministry is connected with higher education through the University Grants Commission, which coordinates policies and programs related to higher education. Universities conduct their educational programs under Nepal’s higher education structure.

The ministry is also linked with national examination and teacher-management bodies. The Teachers Service Commission is associated with teacher selection, appointment, and promotion at the school level. The National Examination Board conducts and manages the Secondary Education Examination for Class 10 and the Secondary Education Passing Examination for Class 12.

Agencies and Education Institutions

The Center for Education and Human Resource Development works on school education projects, teacher professional development, training packages, and audio or audio-visual learning materials. It also works with education programs at local and provincial levels.

The Curriculum Development Center works on school curriculum revision and textbook development. The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training and its provincial offices conduct technical education and training programs aimed at middle-level technical manpower development.

The Educational Quality Testing Center tests school education achievement and performance and recommends improvements. The National Library, Keshar Library, and Dilliraman-Kalyani Regmi Memorial Library support reading culture and continuing learning. Janak Shiksha Material Center is linked with the printing and distribution of school-level textbooks.

Work Area of the Ministry

The ministry’s work area includes education-related policies, laws, standards, and regulations. It also covers central university-related policy, foreign university relations, equivalence determination, accreditation, coordination, and regulation.

Other areas include central library policy, human resource need projection, national education planning, school-level curriculum frameworks, core subject curriculum, model textbooks, and regulations. The ministry’s scope also includes national policy on technical education and vocational training, curriculum formats, eligibility criteria, and skill testing.

MoES also works on school-level teacher service standards, qualifications, equivalence, teacher training policy, teacher grading, curriculum format, and coordination with training centers. Its work includes national standards for school-level examinations, secondary-level examination management, and equivalency determination.

Higher Education, Accreditation, and Coordination

The ministry’s responsibilities include educational institutions operating under diplomatic missions and educational institutions affiliated with foreign educational institutions. It also covers coordination of provincial and local education matters, the University Grants Commission, central universities, the Open University, and central-level educational institutions.

The ministry’s work area includes policies and standards for scholarships and bursaries, education research, academic research, education data management, educational quality standards, measurement, and regulation.

Science and Technology Functions

MoES also has a science and technology work area. Its responsibilities include policies, laws, and standards related to science and technology, scientific and astronomical research, science and technology data standards, and the regulation of selected technology-related systems and materials.

The ministry is associated with the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, National Forensic Science Laboratory, BP Koirala Memorial Planetarium Observatory, and Science Museum. These institutions are linked with discovery and research work in science and technology.

Education Management Structure

Nepal’s education management structure places the ministry in a central policy and coordination role. The University Grants Commission coordinates support and operation of higher education policy, while universities conduct their own activities.

Under the ministry, the Department of Education prepares, runs, and manages the annual school education plan. District Education Offices work on education plan management and monitoring, while school management committees are responsible for school operation and management.

Teacher development is supported through an educational manpower development center and 34 training centers. Resource centers support teachers and schools in improving teaching and learning, and regional education directorates assist with monitoring and coordination.

Libraries, Examinations, and Technical Education

The ministry operates the National Library and Keshar Library as central libraries and the Dilliraman-Kalyani Regmi Memorial Library as an autonomous library. It also owns the Institute for Printing and Distribution of Textbooks.

The Higher Secondary Education Council administers higher secondary-level affiliation and examinations. The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Education and Training administers technical education and vocational training programs, including short-term training, technical entrance and diploma-level programs, and skill testing, except university programs.

Divisions and Branches

The ministry’s divisions include Administration Division, Planning and Monitoring Division, Technical and Vocational Education Division, Division of School Education, Higher Education Division, and Science Technology Division. These divisions cover administration, planning, monitoring, technical and vocational education, school education, higher education, science, technology, and related regulatory areas.

Administration Division

The Administration Division is associated with staff administration, good governance promotion, internal management, legal matters, judgment execution, and economic administration.

Planning and Monitoring Division

The Planning and Monitoring Division includes development assistance coordination, monitoring and evaluation, planning and budget, human resources, development planning, coordination, statistics, policy, and research.

Technical and Vocational Education Division

The Technical and Vocational Education Division includes private and cooperative organization coordination, vocational training promotion, quality accreditation, and educational technology and electronic governance.

Division of School Education

The Division of School Education includes early childhood education and school nutrition, school education, voluntary mobilization and visa work, library coordination and archives, and alternative and continuing education.

Higher Education Division

The Higher Education Division includes the Higher Education Branch, Overseas Study Permit Branch, Academic Counseling and Certification Branch, and Scholarship Branch. Some higher education-related branches are located in Sanothimi, Bhaktapur.

Science Technology Division

The Science Technology Division includes scientific research, innovation, appropriate technology, space and emerging technologies, nuclear materials management, standards, quality, statistics, licensing, regulation, investigation, chemicals, and laboratory management.

Contact Details

• Administration Division: 014200356, ad@moest.gov.np

• Planning and Monitoring Division: 014200383, pmd@moest.gov.np

• Technical and Vocational Education Division: 014200387, tved@moest.gov.np

• Division of School Education: 014211985, sed@moest.gov.np

• Higher Education Division: hed@moest.gov.np

• Science Technology Division: sti@moest.gov.np