Kathmandu, June 2 -- The number of community schools in Nepal is declining while private schools continue to expand, according to the government's Economic Survey 2025-26, highlighting a shift that education experts say is deepening inequalities in access to education.

The survey shows that Nepal has 35,951 schools nationwide. Of these, 25,623 are community schools, 8,941 are private schools, and 1,387 are institutions such as madrasas, gurukuls and Buddhist monastic schools that provide education centred on religious teachings, sometimes alongside elements of formal schooling.

Five years ago, in 2020-21, community schools accounted for 27,813 institutions, representing 78 percent of all schools. Private schools made up 19 percent and r...