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Astronomy in Nepal's National Science Curriculum: A Preliminary Scope Analysis

Poster
Astronomy Education Research
IAU OAE Conference 2026
Tuesday Nov. 17, 2026
UTC: 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. America/New_York: 3 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday Nov. 18, 2026
UTC: 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. America/New_York: 9 a.m.- 10:30 a.m.
UTC: 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. America/New_York: 2:30 p.m.- 4 p.m.
Thursday Nov. 19, 2026
UTC: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. America/New_York: 6:30 a.m.- 8 a.m.

Rajat Thapa

(Rato Bangala School, Patan, Nepal)

Rajat Thapa

Nepal's CDC science curriculum spans Grades 1–12, yet astronomy's place within it remains unexamined. This presentation proposes a systematic mapping of astronomy-related content across all grade levels using official CDC textbooks, specification grids, and NEB assessment documents. The analysis will identify what astronomical topics are prescribed, at which grades, with what depth, and how they are weighted in summative assessment. The goal is to establish a clear picture of astronomy's curricular scope in a low-resource-Global South context and to open a discussion on what structural conditions would need to change for astronomy education in Nepal to move from nominal inclusion to meaningful learning.

Biography:

Rajat Thapa is a STEAM educator and science teacher at Rato Bangala School in Patan, Nepal, where he teaches at the lower secondary level. He also leads makerspace education for Grades 5–6, designing hands-on STEAM activities grounded in Nepal's local context and low-resource environments. He is currently completing a Master of Education in STEAM Education at Kathmandu University. His work sits at the intersection of curriculum design, science pedagogy, and educational equity.