KATHMANDU, Nepal – 2 October 2024

In April 2024, the AIP Foundation team visited the Nepal Automobiles’ Association to, meet with local government and school representatives of the two target schools in Lalitpur district and Dhulikhel municipality visit to the schools to observe the traffic situation and infrastructure conditions, carry out school assessments using the SR4S tool and to hold a meeting with local government officials and the NASA team to provide the local government stakeholders with the Star Rating for Schools project details and overview. Since then, the Nepal Automobiles Association has continued to work with the local government to develop the designs for road infrastructure upgrades and school zone modifications.

Upgraded Star Ratings for Schools in Nepal

As part of the program, two school zones in Lalitpur, Kathmandu, and Dhulikhel municipality in Bagmati Province underwent significant road safety improvements from April 2024 to October 2024. These enhancements are designed to reduce traffic risks for students.

Initially rated at just 1 star, due to the high number of daily road safety concerns shared by students, the SR4S results for these school zones have now been upgraded to 4+ stars following the completion of the school zone safety modifications. Key improvements around the schools include better signage, safer crossings, traffic calming measures, and clearly designated pedestrian zones, as well as new speed limits of 30km/h at the schools. With these upgrades, students can now access their education more safely. A safer school zone means a safer future for the next generation. In Dhulikhel municipality, a high visibility, vibrant zebra crossing was introduced in setting a new initiative for pedestrian safety and raising awareness in the community.

Regional Collaboration for Road Safety

In October 2023, the AIP Foundation, FIA Foundation, and iRAP (International Road Assessment Programme) were proud to announce a new collaboration to build capacity for all FIA Region II Clubs. Funded by the FIA Foundation, the first phase of the program focused on the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology developed by iRAP.

Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) is an evidence-based tool for measuring, managing, and communicating the risks children are exposed to on a journey to school. It supports quick interventions that save lives and prevent serious injuries from day one. This methodology is the basis of school-based programs at AIP Foundation, as well as of the FIA School Assessment toolkit.

This short complimentary program aimed to give ready-to-use knowledge and tools to the clubs. The program has also presented a chance for one of the clubs to receive funding to drive change in their country which the Nepal Automobiles’ Association won. Following 4 free online participation training sessions with road safety experts in critical topic areas most relevant for safe mobility project implementation, the Nepal Automobiles’ Association was selected and secured funding for school zone upgrades and support in implementation.