In partnership with the Ministry of Education and UNICEF Mongolia, the “One Bagh One School” initiative was officially launched today. The goal of this initiative is to deliver accessible, inclusive, and quality primary education services in remote rural baghs (the smallest administrative unit in Mongolia) through schools that are child friendly, climate resilient, environmentally sustainable, and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNICEF Mongolia is mobilizing resources in collaboration with private sector partners to implement this initiative, and today, the first investment agreements were officially signed.
Within their corporate social responsibility programs, Khan Bank and Monpolymet Group are jointly investing a total of 4.2 billion MNT in this effort. This marks not only a significant investment in the education sector but also the beginning of a new way of collaboration between government, private sector, academia, and development organizations.
With this investment, new primary schools will be established in five baghs of Tuv, Uvs, Khovd, and Khuvsgulprovinces, enabling over 370 children each year to attend school closer to home. Special focus will be given to providing a conducive learning environment for children of border protection officers and staff working and residing at locations such as the Borshoo border checkpoint in Uvs province and Uench soum of Khovd province.
“Every year, around 36,000 children live in dormitories for nine months, far from their families, to access education. On average, these children need to travel between their homes and schools six times a year using various means of transportation. It is essential to ensure that children from herder families in rural areas and children of border protection officers have access to quality primary education in a safe and comfortable environment near their homes. Effective partnerships and sustainable cooperation between the government and the private sector play a crucial role in successfully achieving this goal,” emphasized Minister of Education P. Naranbayar.
UNICEF Representative Evariste Kouassi-Komlan highlighted, “One Bagh One School initiative is more than just a project. It’s a promise to children that they will have the right to education, no matter where they live. Today’s agreement is an excellent example of how the government, private sector, academia, and international organizations can join forces for the wellbeing of children. Many other companies have also expressed interest in supporting this initiative, and together we will be able to deliver quality, accessible, and inclusive education to even more children.”
Khan Bank CEO R. Munkhtuya shared, “We are delighted that our team at Khan Bank is contributing to enabling children in remote areas of our vast country to access quality primary education in a safe and comfortable environment close to home. As a result of this project, by the end of this year, child friendly, climate resilient schools will be established in five remote locations, allowing more than 370 children aged 2-10 to start attending school near their homes. We are confident that this initiative will become a meaningful investment in supporting the education, dreams, and future of Mongolia’s children.”
Chairwoman of Monpolymet Group N. Munkhnasan added, “We have begun implementing projects in partnership with UNICEF to upgrade digital classrooms and organize capacity-building trainings for local teachers and students. Ensuring equal access to education, regardless of geographic location, lays the foundation for nurturing knowledgeable, skilled citizens and building the future of Mongolia.”
Currently, of the 1,575 baghs nationwide, only 44 have primary schools, which is an insufficient number. As a result, many children in rural areas must leave their families and live in dormitories at soum centers to pursue education — a situation that negatively affects students’ emotional well being, academic performance, and limits parental care and engagement. The One Bagh One School initiative aims to reduce these adverse effects by enabling children, especially those with disabilities, to access education in schools located near their homes, supported by their families and communities.
By 2027, UNICEF and its private sector partners aim to establish at least 60 bagh primary schools across the country.

Published Date:2025-12-17