The parties have released their election manifestos, putting forward attractive and ambitious policies and programs in the health and education sectors. A study of the declaration documents shows that the voters have been given assurances, just like in the previous elections.

Congress President Gagan Thapa has made public the Congress's pledge for good governance and progress. It includes attractive slogans in the education and health sectors. The pledge emphasizes the reforms in all insurance programs that were started when Thapa was the Health Minister. It is mentioned that a strong health system will be developed by including all citizens in health insurance. 

It has been announced that children under the age of 3 and senior citizens over the age of 73 will be provided free treatment in any hospital. 'Free health is our commitment. Every citizen, no matter how much it costs for treatment. Let them be proud that they have a state. Let them be able to say with confidence, I have an insurance card in my pocket, what am I afraid of,' the Congress pledge states. 

It is mentioned that the budget share in the health sector will be increased to at least 10 percent. The Congress has promised to provide basic health services through health insurance at the doorstep from the local level. It is mentioned that all the scattered health social security schemes and concessions will be integrated into health insurance. There is a commitment to institutional reform of the Health Insurance Board. The Congress plans to provide complete relief for expensive treatments such as cancer, kidney, liver transplant, and heart disease and to arrange treatment through insurance. 

The health insurance program, which was started when President Thapa was the Health Minister, is in crisis due to lack of funds. After Thapa, General Secretary Pradeep Poudel was the Health Minister last. But there are complaints that he too has not been able to improve the insurance program. The Congress has announced to implement one citizen, one digital health profile. The pledge states, ‘We will make arrangements to make the national identity card number the electronic medical record number in all hospitals and make patient documents, reports, and histories available online.’ 

Only about 10 percent of the budget has been allocated to the education sector. The Congress has announced that 20 percent of the budget will be allocated to community schools and spent on teachers, infrastructure, equipment, etc. It has been announced to end the practice of high-ranking officials receiving treatment abroad with state money. With the slogan ‘Nation and Leader: Stop looting in the treasury, equal provision in health’, it is said, ‘We will completely end the discriminatory situation where those who have access get treatment abroad and those who do not have access do not get treatment even at home. We will strictly implement the mandatory system that does not allow subsidies from the state treasury for treatment abroad that has legal provisions.' The slogans are 'Health care in the backyard, respected old age, nurses in the backyard, and doctors in the backyard.' 'We will provide health care in the backyard for senior citizens, disabled people, and chronically ill people who cannot reach health institutions. We will build nurses and volunteers, community care centers in the community. We will operate an integrated ambulance service and arrange a call center,' the pledge states. The Congress has also made a commitment to strengthen hospital pharmacies and laboratories and provide timely medicines and quality testing. It is mentioned that the production of quality indigenous medicines will be encouraged.  

Similarly, the Congress has reiterated its commitment to invest 20 percent of the state in education. It had made a similar commitment before. The election manifesto states the commitment to pass separate acts related to higher education, school education and technical education within a year. It has been assured that the problems of all types of teachers including permanent, temporary, contract, relief, special, ECD and others will be solved and at least facilities like those of civil servants will be provided. ‘We will pass the School Education Act within a year, free from pressure from vested groups. We will pass an umbrella act within a year to remove the arrangement of the Prime Minister being the Chancellor and the Education Minister being the Pro-Chancellor,’ the manifesto states.

Only about 10 percent of the budget has been allocated to the education sector. The Congress has announced that it will allocate 20 percent of the budget and spend it on teachers, infrastructure, equipment, etc. in community schools. It is said, ‘We will develop digital infrastructure, digital learning materials, smart teacher learning and digital skills of teachers and students in schools. We will provide a minimum additional allowance of 10 percent of the salary to the principal. We will provide special additional facilities to teachers teaching in remote areas.’

The Congress has promised to provide new books in the new year. Since the last academic session, students have been receiving books on time. The goal is to expand the number of model schools to at least 2 at each local level. 

The pledge also covers the failed policies and programs of the previous government that mobilized volunteer teachers in collaboration with the university. It has been committed to making arrangements to learn all three languages ​​at the school level, namely mother tongue, Nepali and English. It is mentioned that entrepreneurship training, startup support, concessional loans and business consulting programs will be operated for the underprivileged community. ‘We will make legal arrangements to ensure a transparent, accountable, and managerial structure to end party affiliation in the university,’ the pledge further states, ‘We will develop the university not only as an educational institution but also as a major center for research, innovation and technological development.’

It has been promised to establish a national research fund, provide merit-based scholarships, and provide educational loans at concessional rates. ‘We will operate joint research, internship, technology transfer and employment assurance programs in collaboration with industry, business and service sectors. We will establish a recognized university to connect specialized institutions with education, research, employment, and learning,' the Congress has said in the pledge. 

With the slogan 'UML will build', Chairman KP Sharma Oli released the party's election manifesto on Thursday. The UML manifesto also has attractive policies and commitments in the health and education sectors, like the Congress. The UML has given priority to the issue of issuing the School Education and Higher Education Act. 'We will end the problems seen in universities and maintain academic autonomy. We will develop schools, universities, and academic reputation as autonomous institutions with responsibility,' the manifesto says. However, Oli has previously been in favor of not changing the system of the Prime Minister being the Chancellor.

The UML is committed to ensuring equal access to education for all children, including pre-primary education, by gradually making school education compulsory and free. ‘We will end the situation where no child is deprived of school education and no adolescent is deprived of technical or higher education due to economic, geographical or physical conditions,’ the manifesto states. ‘We will not keep the education system focused only on admission and examination, but will orient it towards building a human resource that can contribute to patriotism, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, innovative thinking and national capacity enhancement. For this, we will develop contemporary, practical, ethical, patriotic, and digital-friendly curricula and educational materials.’ 

It has been announced to merge community schools with low student numbers, match teacher positions, make residential arrangements, and make scholarship and concessional programs integrated and effective. It has been announced to establish science parks, technology parks, innovation centers, incubation centers, and rural innovation centers in collaboration with the government, university research institutions, and the private sector to integrate science, technology, research, and innovation.  

The UML manifesto states that it will create employment opportunities for youth in the country by strengthening the relationship between education, research and entrepreneurship. ‘We will implement a plan focused on policy, infrastructure, investment, good governance and innovation in education, science and technology, and reduce the tendency to go abroad for higher education through job-oriented technical education and the study-and-earn program,’ the UML manifesto states. ‘We will increase state investment in educational infrastructure and provide a safe environment, laboratory, library, drinking water, health and sanitation, nutritious lunch and world-class creative and professional studies in schools.’

It has been announced that community schools with low student numbers will be merged, teacher positions will be matched, residential arrangements will be made and scholarship and concessional programs will be made integrated and effective. The policy states that the state will increase investment in research and development in higher education, expand university-industry cooperation, and attract highly qualified human resources to the teaching profession.

The UML has announced that basic health services will be made free, reliable and universal. ‘We will develop health institutions as service-oriented, well-governed, and accountable centers. We will review and abolish ineffective programs. We will provide at least one doctor, nurse, laboratory, and pharmacy services in primary health care centers. We will upgrade district hospitals and provide minimum specialist services. We will establish an effective referral system at the provincial level,’ says the UML’s election manifesto.

It has been promised to provide world-class treatment services domestically from district, provincial, and central hospitals by completing the construction and modernization of hospital infrastructure from ward to center. UML has announced that it will improve the management of government hospitals, the appointment and mobilization of health personnel, and increase incentives, security, career development, and dignity for doctors and health workers.

The manifesto states that it will implement standards and a capping system for regulating the fees and quality of private hospitals. ‘We will promote health and tourism and expand government-private-community partnerships. "We will increase the quota of students coming to Nepal from abroad to study while expanding the quality and access to medical education," the manifesto states. "We will gradually integrate the health insurance system and social health security programs to eliminate the dual financial burden in the health system, the confusion between service production and purchase, and the duplication between free insurance services." UML is committed to making the health insurance system sustainable by making structural and operational reforms. "We will integrate traditional and alternative medical systems including yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, naturopathy, Aamchi and homeopathy with modern medicine," the manifesto states.

Similarly, the NCP has announced to make public health services completely free. "Vaccination, safe motherhood, communicable disease control, reproductive health and basic health services will be provided free of charge with the full responsibility of the state. The health expenditure that citizens have to pay out of their own pockets, which is currently around 54 percent, will be reduced to less than 35 percent by 2088," the manifesto issued by NCP coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal said.

Dahal, who has been the Prime Minister twice since the establishment of the insurance, has expressed his commitment through the manifesto to include all citizens in the health insurance program by 2088. Currently, only 33 percent of citizens are covered by insurance. The state has promised to bear the insurance premium of the poor, disabled, chronically ill, and senior citizens. This is still being borne by the state. The NCP has announced that it will provide regular health checkups, lifestyle counseling, and preventive services by mobilizing HAs and staff nurses in every ward, community, and school. OPDs in government hospitals will be operated in two shifts from 7 am to 7 pm, and services will be expanded 365 days a year at health posts.

The NCP manifesto states that the health checkups of youth going for foreign employment will be free of charge, and that doctors and health workers working in government health institutions will be provided with a livable salary, facilities, and security, and that the policy of one health worker, one health institution will be implemented.

नेपाल औषधि लिमिटेड तथा सिंहदरबार वैद्यखानाको क्षमता वृद्धि गरी आधारभूत औषधि स्वदेशमै उत्पादन गर्ने, स्वास्थ्य क्षेत्रको बजेट ८ प्रतिशत पुर्‍याउने, टेलिमेडिसिन सेवामार्फत ग्रामीण क्षेत्रमा गुणस्तरीय सेवा प्रदान गर्ने वाचा गरिएको छ । ‘दुर्गम तथा पिछडिएको क्षेत्रमा विशेषज्ञ सेवा पर्‍याउन प्रत्येक वर्ष असोज, कात्तिक तथा फागुनमा जनस्वास्थ्य अभियानससहित घुम्ती विशेषज्ञ शिविर सञ्चालन गरिनेछ,’ नेकपाको घोषणापत्रमा उल्लेख छ, ‘वडा तहका आधारभूत स्वास्थ्य सेवा केन्द्रहरूको जनशक्ति, औषधि, उपकरण, गुणस्तर सुधार गरिनेछ । नसर्ने रोगहरूको रोकथाम र व्यवस्थापनका लागि हृदयरोग, मधुमेह जाँच, परामर्श र नियन्त्रण सेवा समुदायमै उपलब्ध गराइनेछ ।’

शिक्षकको उपस्थिति, विद्यार्थीको प्रगति तथा परीक्षा प्रक्रियामा डिजिटल प्रविधि उपयोग गरी पारदर्शिता कायम गर्ने जनाइएको छ । सातै प्रदेशमा प्राविधिक इन्स्टिच्युट स्थापना गर्ने र सीटीईभीटीलाई विश्वविद्यालय बनाउने वाचा गरिएको छ ।   पटक/पटक शिक्षा मन्त्रालयको जिम्मेवारी सम्हालेर शिक्षा ऐन जारी गर्न नसकेको नेकपाले फेरि शिक्षा ऐन जारी गर्ने प्रतिबद्धतासहित घोषणापत्र जारी गरेको छ ।  

संयोजक दाहालले जारी गरेको घोषणापत्रमा संघीय शिक्षा ऐन संसद्को पहिलो बैठकमै संकल्प प्रस्ताव पेस गरी पारित गरिने वाचा गरिएको छ । संविधानअनुसार विद्यालय सञ्चालन स्थानीय तहबाट हुने व्यवस्था गर्ने उल्लेख छ । विश्वविद्यालय अनुदान आयोग र चिकित्सा शिक्षा आयोगलाई एकीकृत गरी पूर्ण स्वायत्त र राजनीतिक हस्तक्षेप मुक्त गरी उच्च शिक्षा अयोग गठन गर्ने घोषणा गरिएको छ । विश्वविद्यालयको पदाधिकारी, प्राध्यापकको नियुक्ति मेरिटका आधारमा गरिने जनाइएको छ ।

एक पालिका एक नमुना स्मार्ट आवासीय विद्यालय, प्राविधिमैत्री शिक्षा र डिजिटल साक्षरताको नारा नेकपाको घोषणापत्रमा अघि सारिएको छ । शिक्षकको उपस्थिति, विद्यार्थीको प्रगति तथा परीक्षा प्रक्रियामा डिजिटल प्रविधि उपयोग गरी पारदर्शिता कायम गर्ने जनाइएको छ । सातै प्रदेशमा प्राविधिक इन्स्टिच्युट स्थापना गर्ने र सीटीईभीटीलाई विश्वविद्यालय बनाउने वाचा गरिएको छ । सामुदायिक विद्यालय सुधार अभियान सञ्चालन गरेर विद्यालयको भौतिक पूर्वाधार विकास, शिक्षक तालिम, प्रविधि एकीकरण, सिकाइ नतिजा सुधारमा प्राथमिकता दिने जनाइएको छ । 

निजी शैक्षिक संस्थाको शैक्षिक शुल्कमा अधिकतम सीमा तोक्ने, राम्रो नतिजा ल्याउने शिक्षकलाई पुरस्कृत गर्ने, शिक्षक अभाव भएका क्षेत्रमा समुदाय केन्द्रित स्वयंसेवी शिक्षक व्यवस्था गर्ने, कक्षा ४–८ मा नैतिक शिक्षा र ९–१२ मा इतिहास विषय पढाइ गर्ने नीति अघि सारिएको छ । कृषि, पर्यटन जलविद्युत्, आयुर्वेद, सूचना प्रविधि, कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्ता (एआई) जस्ता रोजगारीमुखी विषयलाई प्राथमिकता दिने घोषणापत्रमा उल्लेख छ । शिक्षण संस्थालाई सम्बन्धन बाँड्ने काम रोकी उक्त नीतिमा पुनरावलोकन गर्ने नेकपाले घोषणा गरेको छ ।

यसैगरी रास्वपाले कर्णालीको सुर्खेतबाट वाचापत्र सार्वजनिक गर्दै विश्वविद्यालय र विद्यालयलाई दलीय राजनीतिक गतिविधिबाट मुक्त गर्ने जनाएको छ ।

‘शिक्षक, प्राध्यापकहरूको राजनीतिक आबद्धतालाई पूर्णतः निषेध गर्नेछौं,’ रास्वपाको वाचापत्रमा भनिएको छ, ‘विद्यार्थी संगठनमार्फत हुने अराजकता, तोडफोड जबरजस्ती बन्द, शैक्षिक वातावरणमा अवरोध गर्ने गतिविधिलाई नियन्त्रण गर्ने शैक्षिक संस्थाभित्र दलगत राजनीतिक कार्यक्रम पूर्ण रूपमा निषेध गर्नेछौं ।’ विद्यार्थीको विचार, अभिव्यक्ति नेतृत्व विकास र रचनात्मक सहभागिताका लागि गैरदलीय प्राज्ञिक विद्यार्थी प्रतिनिधित्व प्रणाली विकास गर्ने रास्पपाले घोषणा गरेको छ । 

 विश्वविद्यालयलाई पुनःसंरचना गरी अनुसन्धानमुखी र रोजगारउन्मुख बनाउने नीति अघि सारिएको छ ।  नेपालमा विदेशी विश्वविद्यालयहरूको आंगिक क्याम्पस र विदेशी डिग्री कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गर्न सरल प्रक्रिया बनाउने घोषणा गरिएको छ । सार्वजनिक शिक्षाको गुणस्तर, पहुँच र प्रतिस्पर्धात्मक क्षमतामा सुधार ल्याउन दुई दशकसम्म उल्लेखनीय लगानी गर्दै जाने प्रतिबद्धता जनाइएको छ । शिक्षालाई नाफाभन्दा सेवामुखी क्षेत्रमा रूपमा व्यवस्थित गरिने उल्लेख छ । ‘निजी क्षेत्रद्वारा प्रदान गरिँदै आएको शिक्षालाई सार्वजनिक शिक्षाको पहुँच र गुणस्तरको परिपूरकका रूपमा स्वीकार गर्नेछौं,’ रास्वपाले भनेको छ, ‘थप सेवामुखी, उत्तरदायी, गुणस्तर केन्द्रित बनाउन समग्र पुनरावलोकन तथा आवश्यक नीतिगत सुधार गर्नेछौं ।’ प्रत्येक प्रदेशमा अत्याधुनिक नमुना समावेशी विद्यालय स्थापना गर्ने वाचा गरिएको छ । ‘देशभरका सबै विद्यालयलाई क्रमशः पूर्ण पहुँचयुक्त र समावेशी बनाउनेछौं । विशेषगरी अटिजम र न्युरोडाइभर्सिटीलगायत अपांगता भएका बालबालिकाका लागि अत्यावश्यक अकुपेसनल, स्पीच र विहेवियरल थेरापी जस्ता एकीकृत सेवा विद्यालय हाताभित्र प्रदान गर्दै अभिभावकहरूको आर्थिक र मानसिक बोझ कम गर्नेछौं,’ वाचापत्रमा भनिएको छ । 

प्राज्ञिक नियुक्तिहरू मेरिटका आधारमा मात्र गर्ने प्रतिबद्धता जनाइएको छ । ‘मौलिक सीप र कलालाई नयाँ पुस्तामा हस्तान्तरण गर्न गुरु–चेला परम्परामा आधारित विशेष छात्रवृत्ति र तालिम कार्यक्रममार्फत सांस्कृतिक पुनर्जागरण अभियान सञ्चालन गर्नेछौं,’ रास्वपाको वाचापत्रमा उल्लेख छ । विश्वविद्यालयलाई पुनःसंरचना गरी अनुसन्धानमुखी र रोजगारउन्मुख बनाउने नीति अघि सारिएको छ । 

नेपालमा विदेशी विश्वविद्यालयहरूको आंगिक क्याम्पस र विदेशी डिग्री कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गर्न सरल प्रक्रिया बनाउने घोषणा गरिएको छ । ‘लाखौं नेपाली विद्यार्थी उच्च शिक्षाका लागि विदेश गइरहेका छन् । हजारौं नेपाली प्राध्यापक विदेशमा कार्यरत छन् । नेपाल एसियामा केन्द्रीय स्थान, आकर्षक परिदृश्य, हावापानी, अन्य देशहरूसँगको शान्तिपूर्ण सम्बन्धनले गर्दा नेपाल अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय उच्च शिक्षाको हब बन्न उपर्युक्त छ,’ वाचापत्रमा थप भनिएको छ, ‘विदेशी अध्यापक र विद्यार्थीहरूका लागि भिसा उपलब्ध गराउन सजिलो प्रक्रिया र विदेशी अध्यापकलाई नेपालमा स्थायी बसोबास अनुमति प्राप्त गराउन द्रुत प्रक्रिया लागू गर्नेछौं ।’ 

यसैगरी स्वास्थ्य बिमा कार्यक्रमलाई सुदृढ गर्ने प्रतिबद्धता पनि रास्वपाले गरेको छ । ‘स्वास्थ्य बिमा कार्यक्रमलाई थप सुदृढ मोडलमा गुणस्तरीय स्वास्थ्य सेवा तथा प्रत्येक नागरिकको पहुँच सुनिश्चित हुने गरी विस्तार गर्नेछौं । स्वास्थ्यसँग सम्बन्धित सबै सामाजिक सुरक्षाका कार्यक्रमलाई एकद्वार प्रणालीमार्फत व्यवस्थित गछौं । औषधि, उपचार सेवाहरू, मानसिक स्वास्थ्यसमेत स्वास्थ्य बिमा कार्यक्रमभित्र समेटिने गरी सरकारको मुख्य प्राथमिकता क्षेत्रको कार्यक्रमका रूपमा अघि बढाउनेछौं,’ रास्वपाको वाचापत्रमा भनिएको छ, ‘क्यान्सरलगायत नसर्ने रोग उपचारमुखीभन्दा रोकथाममुखी रणनीतिलाई मुख्य लक्ष्यका रूपमा कार्यान्वयन गर्नेछौं ।’

प्रत्येक प्रदेशमा कम्तीमा एउटा अत्याधुनिक अपांगता पुनःस्थापना विशिटीष्कृत स्रोत केन्द्र स्थापना गरी अपांगता भएका नागरिकलाई गुणस्तरीय र एकीकृत स्वास्थ्य सेवा सुनिश्चित गर्ने घोषणा गरिएको छ । बालबालिकामा देखिने अटिजम, सुस्त श्रवण, दृष्टिसम्बन्धी र अन्य न्युरो डेभलपमेन्टल समस्याहरूको समयमै पहिचान गर्न स्थानीय तहमा स्क्रिनिङ औजार र जनशक्ति राख्ने जनाइएको छ । रोगको रोकथाम, मानसिक स्वास्थ्य सुदृढीकरण र समग्र जीवनशैली सुधारका लागि विद्यालय, समुदाय तथा स्वास्थ्य संस्थामार्फत योग, ध्यान कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गरिने घोषणा रास्वपाको छ ।

दलहरुका घोषणापत्रमा स्वास्थ्य तथा शिक्षा क्षेत्रका लागि समेटिएका मुख्य बुँदाहरु

कांग्रेस

स्वास्थ्य

– स्वास्थ्य क्षेत्रमा कम्तीमा १० प्रतिशत बजेट, ३ वर्ष र ७३ वर्षमाथिकालाई जुनसुकै अस्पतालमा निःशुल्क उपचार

– स्वास्थ्य बिमामार्फत आधारभूत स्वास्थ्य सेवा प्रदान, गुणस्तरीय स्वदेशी औषधि उत्पादनलाई प्रोत्साहन

शिक्षा

– शिक्षा क्षेत्रमा कम्तीमा २० प्रतिशत बजेट, प्रत्येक स्थानीय तहमा कम्तीमा २ नमुना विद्यालय

– विद्यालयमा डिजिटल पूर्वाधार, डिजिटल सिकाइ सामग्री, स्मार्ट शिक्षक सिकाइ र शिक्षक–विद्यार्थीको डिजिटल दक्षताको विकास गरिने

एमाले

स्वास्थ्य

– आधारभूत स्वास्थ्य सेवालाई निःशुल्क, विश्वसनीय र सर्वव्यापी बनाउने

– निजी अस्पतालको शुल्क र गुणस्तर नियमनका लागि मापदण्ड र क्यापिङ प्रणाली लागू गर्ने

शिक्षा

– विद्यालय, विश्वविद्यालय र शैक्षिक प्रतिष्ठालाई उत्तरदायित्वसहित स्वायत्त संस्थाका रूपमा विकास गर्ने

– विद्यालय शिक्षालाई क्रमशः अनिवार्य र निःशुल्क बनाउँदै पूर्वप्राथमिक शिक्षासहित सबै बालबालिकालाई शिक्षामा समान पहुँच सुनिश्चित गर्ने

नेकपा

स्वास्थ्य

– जनस्वास्थ्य सेवा पूर्ण रूपमा निःशुल्क गर्ने, गरिब, अशक्त, दीर्घरोगी, ज्येष्ठ नागरिकको बिमा प्रिमियम राज्यले व्यहोर्ने

– नेपाल औषधि लिमिटेड तथा सिंहदरबार वैद्यखानाको क्षमता वृद्धि गरी आधारभूत औषधि स्वदेशमै उत्पादन गर्ने

शिक्षा

– एक पालिका एक नमुना स्मार्ट आवासीय विद्यालय, प्राविधिमैत्री शिक्षा र डिजिटल साक्षरता

– कृषि, पर्यटन जलविद्युत्, आयुर्वेद, सूचना प्रविधि, कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्ता (एआई) जस्ता रोजगारीमुखी विषयलाई प्राथमिकता दिने