• TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

KATHMANDU: Future of more than 3,000 School Leaving Certificate examinees from technical and vocational stream remains uncertain as the government has failed to provide them with appropriate options for further studies.

The School Sector Reform Plan, partially implemented by government, has envisioned technical and vocational education from school level to impart soft skills on various subjects as well as to make them eligible to join labour market immediately after completion of school education.

The SSRP has categorised school education into two levels — basic education (grade I to VIII) and secondary education (grade IX to XII). Similarly, secondary education is divided into two streams — general stream and technical and vocational stream.

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As part of SSRP, the government introduced technical education from grade IX and X in 99 schools across the country in its pilot phase in 2013. The first batch of technical group appeared in SLC exam in 2014.

The Office of the Controller of Examinations has already published the results of SLC general stream, while the results of technical stream are scheduled to be announced next week.

But the government is yet to bring new Education Act, which opens doors to incorporate Plus Two level into school education and continue technical education in grade XI and XII to ensure students’

future in technical education. At present, the Higher Secondary Education Board does not have the curriculum to address the education needs of students from technical stream. So the students are in a tizzy, as they do not know yet where to continue higher secondary education.

The parliamentary committee on Women, Children, Senior Citizens and Social Welfare had earlier directed the government (Ministry of

Education) to provide appropriate options for higher secondary level education for these students, but the MoE has not been able to come up with alternatives.

The MoE had earlier decided to send these students to the Council for Technical and Vocational Training-affiliated colleges, but the guardians refused that option, saying that such schools would be expensive for their children.

After protest from guardians, the MoE had formed a separate committee under the coordination of Prof Tanka Sharma to recommend the government the best option for such students.

The committee today submitted its report to Minister for Education Chitra Lekha Yadav.

After submitting the report, Sharma said that they have given some suggestions to the government on ways to address the issues of students from technical stream.

“As per our recommendations, the students are eligible to enroll themselves in a three-year diploma course run by the CTEVT or they can also join Plus Two colleges run by the HSEB.”

He stated that the HSEB needs to develop new curriculum for the students from technical and vocational stream. “If HSEB officials showed their willpower to develop the new curriculum to address the concerns of these students, there won’t be any problem. The students can join Plus Two education in the current academic session which has already begun,” he said.