The effect of the 'People's War' on schooling in Nepal, 1996-2006

This article focuses on the impact on schools and schooling of the ten-year 'People's War' in Nepal between 1997 and 2007. It draws on research conducted in schools under a British Council funded Higher Education link(1) from 2000 to 2006. In particular, we examine the role that education played in creating and sustaining the conflict in Nepal owing to the important role of the school in the community and the inequalities in the Nepalese education system. Data from the research reveals differences in terms of gender, caste and location. The article argues that conflict around schools not only impacts on children and education but also on the wider communities, and that education can be both a cause of, and a solution to, conflict.