Innovation in Primary School Construction: Community Participation in Seti Zone, Nepal. Educational Building Report 20. A Case Study.

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. In 1981 the Education for Rural Development in Seti Zone Project--more commonly known as the "Seti Project"--was part of the Nepalese government's effort to develop a system of basic education in that far western region of Nepal. The early success of the project provided the impetus for the development of the Primary Education Project, which is supported by the Work Bank/International Development Association. This publication is part of the UNESCO Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (PROAP) series on innovations in primary school construction. The series focuses on how to get the most value for money invested in educational buildings. The experience of Nepal and its project Education for Rural Development in the Seti zone is an example of how people can contribute to their own development. The project is based on the premise that such self-development is mainly fueled by knowledge. Mobilizing community interest, maintaining community confidence, and creating technically satisfactory buildings is a major challenge for all participatory development programs. The report gives a chronological review of the work and describes the project's origins, the context for the building design, the management approach, the school-construction program planning, program implementation, and program achievements. A total of 27 illustrations, 2 maps, 3 figures, and 4 tables are included. (LMI)