Experts point out systemic flaws

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Education experts today pointed out different reasons for the decline in the percentage of School Leaving Certificate exam takers who pass the test, also known as the Iron Gate.

Their comments come as this year’s results, made public today, showed that only 47.16 per cent of the students passed the exam. Last year 55.5 per cent of students who took the examinations had passed the examinations.

The experts stated that lack of confidence among students, flaws in the assessment system and over-emphasis on grades were the main reasons why the pass percentage was on the decline.

Educationist Bidhya Nath Koirala reasoned that systemic flaws in the education sector and the lack of confidence among students that they can do pass without cheating were the main reasons for students’ failure in exams such as the SLC.

Koirala’s assessment of the situation is congruent with the findings of a recent study commissioned by the Education Review Office.

It showed that the students were indeed short on confidence while answering questions in the SLC examinations.

“Despite of systemic inefficiencies, our students have no option but to follow the same old system. Similarly, we have not been able to boost students’ confidence that they can pass easily,” educationist Koirala further said.

Another expert Vishnu Karki said the examination itself was not justified. “Evaluating a student’s 10-year-long learning through an exam like SLC is not appropriate. This is inhumane.”

Vishnu Karki, who was involved in drafting the much hyped School Sector Reform Plan, said that the plan included measures to rid the system of such problems in education system. “But the plan has not been implemented fully as the new education Act has been stalled.”

“We must also make students, parents and teachers aware that education, learning and knowledge count more than grades,” he said.

Kishor Thapa, secretary at the Ministry of Education said that this year’s School Leaving Certificate results were not satisfactory. “This not indicative of a decline in quality of education.”