Kathmandu, June 16:

A report titled “Study on student performance in SLC” has suggested that the Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) be merged with Office of the Controller of Examinations (OCE), Sanothimi, to create a secondary education board (SEB) and that this board be given the mandate to conduct the Grade 12 examinations. The report also suggested that doing so would boost the institutional capacity of the OCE. Prepared jointly by the Ministry of Education and Sports and Education Sector Advisory Team, the report with its major findings and suggestions was made public here today.

The study is the most intensive one in the education sector, with 551 schools as sample schools and 26,267 students, 4,500 teachers and 5,600 parents as interviewees. The study began in April 2004 and was completed in May 2005.The report states that the OCE is good at logistics management, but it does not have the tenets of a professional testing institution. “It seriously lacks expertise and professional capacity in test development and test analysis and reporting. It also lacks the institutional and financial autonomy required that would enable it to function as a professional testing institution,” states the report.

According to the report, it is highly unlikely that OCE will ever be able to function as a government entity. Hence, it is essential to develop OCE into a semi-autonomous SEB. The report also suggested that grade 10 examination be conducted through five regional authorities who would operate under the SEB and report to it.

Kedar Bhakta Mathema, team leader of the SLC Study Report, said that various factors are responsible for the poor performance of the students such as poverty, social structure, and financial and institutional factors. “The Education Ministry alone cannot address these problems,” said Mathema. Mathema said that in order to improve the students’ performance in SLC, the government should adopt strategies that are directed towards addressing the structural causes of under-performance, improving conditions in schools for improved student performance and changing

examination practices. Reform should take place both at the policy and operation levels.

Dr Ishwar Upadhyaya, chairman of the SLC Study Steering Committee, said that it was high time that the concerned agencies paid serious attention to the high failure rate in the SLC examination.

Around Rs 11 billion of the national budget is spend on the education sector while the pass rate in the SLC examination is around 40 per cent only.

The report was submitted to Education Minister Professor Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar on June 14. Mathema said that the minister assured the study team that its suggestions would be implemented and directed the ministry officials to form four committees for its effective implementation.

One arrested

KATHMANDU: Police on Friday arrested Gokul Thapa from Sorahkhutte for misinforming students by publishing fake SLC results on the internet on June 15. Sthaneshwor Devkota, Kathmandu Chief district officer, said that the government is investigating the case. “Since we do not have any cyber laws, we will take due action as per the investigation ,” said Devkota. The SLC results were published on www.Sipalu.com on June 15. Office of the Controller of Examination (OCE), too, confirmed that Thapa was responsible for misleading the public by publishing fake results. According to the OCE, the results which were published on the website did not match last year’s results. — HNS