Israel internship program revival discussed by Education Minister Pant and Ambassador Bass

July 18, Kathmandu: Israeli Ambassador Shmulik Bass called on Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Raghuji Pant to discuss resuming the internship program for Nepali agricultural students in Israel.

The Education Ministry confirmed no barriers remain for students returning to Israel. It proposed increasing the internship quota next year to clear the backlog.

Based on positive security reports from Israel and Nepal’s Ambassador to Israel, the Foreign Ministry declared Israel’s security stable, allowing the program to resume normally. Relevant agencies have been urged to speed up student registrations, inform students, and coordinate with universities for a seamless process.

Israel has long supported Nepal across various sectors. Since 2001, the internship program has enabled over 4,000 Nepali agricultural students to gain expertise in Israel, boosting Nepal’s agriculture sector upon their return.

The program paused after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, delaying opportunities for nearly 1,000 potential interns.