Saathi Teachers Programme

Happy Nepali New Year 2083

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in 2082.

Wishing you a year of growth, learning, and success ahead.

धन्यवाद EducationSamachar!
Mahesh Timalsina

जहाँ शिक्षकको अभाव छ, त्यहीँ आशा बनेर पुग्छन् ‘साथी शिक्षक’ ! काठमाडौं । सामुदायिक विद्यालयमा गुणस्तरीय शिक्षा सुधारका अनेक प्रयास भइरहेका बेला एउटा फरक र प्रभावकारी अभियान...

Today was yet another reminder of what commitment to education truly looks like.

We gathered to celebrate 12 remarkable young individuals from the 5th cohort of the Saathi Teachers Programme, who have just completed their two-year teaching journey in rural primary schools. Their dedication, resilience, and belief in the potential of young children have left a deep mark in the classrooms and communities they served.

At the same time, we were delighted to welcome new Saathi teachers from the 7th cohort, a new generation of educators ready to carry this work forward. Their journey begins now; with the same spirit and purpose: to strengthen primary education and improve learning for children in rural schools through partnership with local governments and schools.

What made the celebration even more special was the presence of many of our alumni, most of whom have chosen to continue in the teaching profession full-time. They shared stories from classrooms, reflected on their impact, and inspired the incoming cohort. Together, they represent a growing community of educators; a continuous chain of commitment working to improve the environments in which children learn and thrive.

We are deeply honored that our long-time supporter and advisor Gagan Thapa joined us as the Chief Guest. Despite his many national responsibilities, he made time to be with us, simply to listen to the stories of young Saathi teachers determined to make a difference in the lives of children.

Our gratitude also goes to our advisor Dr. Meenakshi Dahal, who has consistently supported Saathi teachers through the various training process and spoke today on “Building Career in Education”.

We are grateful to our local government partners, national and international supporters, and friends of the Saathi Teachers Programme whose support and solidarity continues to make this work possible. Thank you to everyone who took the time today to join us and celebrate the Saathi community stories and impact. It truly means a lot.

And, thanks to our hard-working team despite small it is whose never stopping dedication sustains this journey every day and helps to bring and event like this possible and livelier.

We look forward with excitement and hope as the new cohort of Saathi teachers begins their chapter in the coming academic year.

The journey continues!

With Saathi School coming to a close, the 7th cohort stayed back this morning for a meaningful exchange. They sat with the 5th cohort of Saathi Teachers, listening to reflections from their two-year journey of impact in their communities, marking the close of one chapter and the start of another.

Tomorrow, both cohorts will meet again at the Graduation ceremony. It will be a moment of transition, where the 5th cohort formally passes on the responsibility to the 7th cohort, while we also welcome the new cohort into the journey.

We are looking forward to this special milestone. A moment to celebrate the achievements of the 5th cohort and to warmly welcome our newest Saathis.

# FinalReflectionandtheBeginningofaNewJourney

A New Force in Education is Getting Ready for the Classroom

The 7th cohort of Saathi Teachers at Saathi Teachers Programme is now on Day 17 of their 24-day residential Saathi School, preparing themselves before stepping into classrooms across rural community schools.

This is a small but powerful group of young people from diverse backgrounds, united by a shared belief in the mission we uphold: “Primary Must Not Be Secondary.”

Teaching at the primary level is one of the most important responsibilities and work to be done in education. Yet it is often undervalued, with the assumption that anyone with minimal support and training can teach young children. What is needed is the qualified and trained teachers who can understand the young minds.

Through the Saathi Teachers programme, we are working to challenge that mindset by preparing committed teachers/educators who understand the importance of strong foundations in learning and are committed to delivering the best possible support in the classrooms.

Over the past years, our Saathi teachers have already delivered remarkable results in rural classrooms (happy to share the impact report who wish to read). It is inspiring to see the growing number of our alumni are now teaching in classrooms-either as government teachers or in other educational roles- and several alumni are now helping to lead and run the Saathi Teachers Programme itself.

The 7th cohort has now entered into the final week before graduating from Saathi School. Prior to this, they spent nearly a week in Paanchpokhari Rural Municipality, engaging in practice teaching, community immersion, and field learning where each new Saathi teacher was supported and supervised by one dedicated observer/supervisor who were mostly our alumni and staff members. We are deeply grateful to the municipality for hosting the cohort at Shree Satkanya and Kumbeshowry Schools.

It is encouraging to witness the quality of learning already taking place there, observed through practice teaching. Thanks to the strong commitment of the municipality and the collective efforts of many partners they work with including Saathi Teachers Programme.

This year also marks an expansion: Saathi Teachers Programme will begin working with Bandipur Rural Municipality. Even more exciting is a new pilot model where five Saathi teachers will be placed in two schools, allowing full teaching coverage from Grade 1 to Grade 5. This model is made possible through strong support (including financial) from local government, parents, and the community, making it both impactful and sustainable. This will also allow us to align the Saathi Programme initiatives effectively with the new government policy where no exams of traditional type to be conducted up to fifth grade.

While the new cohort prepares for classrooms, we are also preparing to graduate our 5th cohort, who have successfully completed their teaching journey.
Most of these graduates are eager to continue their journey in education.Schools and educational institutions interested in recruiting passionate young teachers are welcome to connect with us. You are welcome to contact us and our team can email the necessary information.

The future of education begins with those who teach our youngest learners. Our effort proudly continues with deep appreciation to our Saathi teachers, staff team, alumni, the partner schools, the local government and our funding partners.

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𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞!

We are excited to celebrate the 5th Cohort Graduation Ceremony

📅 28th Chaitra, 2082
📍 Grand Norling Resort, Mulpani
⏰ 2:00 PM Onwards

Join us as we celebrate 2 years of growth, learning, and impact. Let’s come together to honor the amazing journey and achievements of our graduates!