On behalf of the Global Partnership for Education I extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of Nepal following the devastating earthquake that has taken the lives of so many people.

The earthquake is a tragedy for the country, the government, families and thousands of people. As always, it is the poor that will suffer the most in such crises. In addition to the loss of lives, many homes and buildings, including most schools in 11 out of the 75 districts have been severely damaged. Since many roads in the mountains are inaccessible because of the earthquake, it will take time to know the full extent of the damage to the children, teachers, and their families.

Following a recent visit to Nepal, Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership, had been impressed by the good progress in education the country had made over the past few years. The Global Partnership stands ready to support the Ministry of Education over the months to come. A new grant proposal for Nepal is ready to be reviewed by the GPE Board of Directors in May.

The government and development partners in Nepal are preparing to assess the extent of the damage on the education sector to ensure that schools in the affected areas can re-open as soon as it is possible.

Our hearts and thoughts are with the Nepali people and we hope for successful rescue and recovery efforts.