Private Education Contributes NPR 160 Billion to Nepal’s Economy with Over NPR 300 Billion Investment
June 24, Kathmandu – Private education in Nepal has been estimated to contribute NPR 160 billion annually to the national economy. The National Bureau of Statistics released the results of the Nepal Educational Institutions Survey 2081, confirming that non-governmental educational institutions generated approximately NPR 160 billion in total value added. The survey was conducted covering the reference period from July 16, 2023 to July 15, 2024, with data collection completed between late April and June 2025.
According to Deputy Chief Statistical Officer Dhundiraj Lamichhane, the total investment in Nepal’s private educational institutions reached NPR 309.21 billion. The total production of private educational institutions during the reference year was around NPR 19.5 billion.
Producing this output required intermediate consumption expenses amounting to NPR 3.54 billion, while the total operating costs in one year for private education stood at approximately NPR 114 billion. Data indicates that these institutions spent nearly NPR 7.5 billion on employee salaries, wages, and other benefits. The survey encompassed private, community-run, trust-managed schools, campuses, and technical-vocational training centers excluding government-owned education providers.
By province, the largest investment was made in Bagmati Province, totaling NPR 12.88 billion, whereas Karnali Province recorded the lowest investment at NPR 542 million. Across the country, there are 10,411 private educational institutions, with Bagmati hosting the highest number at 2,903 and Karnali the fewest at 375.
The average monthly tuition fee for private education stands at NPR 3,300, with Bagmati Province charging the highest average fee of NPR 5,100 and Sudurpashchim Province the lowest at NPR 2,000. Approximately 3.75 million students are enrolled in private education institutions, among whom 1.08 million utilize school transport services. The statistics also reveal that there are 28,235 buildings and about 200,000 classrooms across these institutions.
