Two schools in Nepal received vital road safety upgrades in a project implemented by Nepal Automobiles’ Association (NASA) in collaboration with AIP Foundation and iRAP, supported by the FIA Foundation.

School zone road upgrades at Sanjiwani Higher Secondary School in the Dhulikhel Municipality and Adarsha Saula Yubak Higher Secondary School in the Lalitpur District included building new footpaths, protective railings, high-visibility zebra crossings, speed-calming measures, and 30km/h speed limits. Addressing critical school zone safety infrastructure to ensure safer school journeys, the modifications were carried out following iRAP’s Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology raising safety ratings from 1.0 (indicating high risk of road crash) to 4.5 for Sanjiwani Higher Secondary School in Dhulikhel and 4.2 for Adarsha Saula Yubak Higher Secondary School in Lalitpur, 5.9 stars being the highest safety rating. 

These improvements have encouraged strong local support and are sparking a broader conversation on road safety improvements in Nepal. Dhulikhel municipal government has committed an estimated four million Nepali rupees (approximately 30,000 USD) to expand the footpath and improve the road surface in the area surrounding Sanjiwani Higher Secondary School. Meanwhile, the Lalitpur Road Division Office has committed to maintaining the road safety modifications installed around Adarsha Saula Yubak School, ensuring the long-term effectiveness of these interventions. Building on the success of this project, Nepal plans to replicate this road safety model in additional schools across Bagmati Province, promoting government-led improvements to expand the initiative’s reach and impact.

The project is part of a broader collaboration between the AIP Foundation, FIA Foundation, and iRAP to empower FIA Region II Clubs to improve school zone safety. NASA was selected as the club to to lead this pioneering effort with an FIA Foundation grant, and the mentorship by NGO the AIP Foundation.

“We are honoured to lead this initiative, made possible by the generous financial support of the FIA Foundation and the close mentoring of the AIP Foundation, marking a significant step forward in enhancing school zone safety in Nepal,” said Subas Bhattarai, Project Coordinator at Nepal Automobiles’ Association. “Through this project, we are not only creating safer pathways for our children but also establishing a standard that we hope will inspire communities across the region. Our vision is for every school in Nepal to achieve a 3-star or higher rating for student pedestrians, and this is just the beginning.”