FACE-TO-FACE
The 2025 New Directions in Language Assessment conference took place in New Delhi, India, marking its first-ever edition in South Asia. This conference serves as a global platform for experts, educators and policymakers to explore advancements in language assessment, learning and policy-making. The conference facilitated discussions on emerging trends, technological innovations and best practices in language testing. It also aims to foster regional and international partnerships to enhance language learning standards within South Asia's diverse linguistic landscape. One of the key highlights of the event was Nepal's participation, represented by Dr Mahashram Sharma, chairperson of the National Examinations Board (NEB). It plays a crucial role in developing and administering school-level examinations across Nepal, making Dr Sharma's presence significant for cross-border collaboration. His insights include shedding light on Nepal's language assessment strategies and educational reforms. Bal Krishna Sah of The Himalayan Times caught up with Sharma on the English assessment system in the education system of Nepal. Excerpts:
How does the NEB currently assess English language proficiency among school-level students in Nepal?
We implemented a new curriculum after 2019. We now have school-based assessments until third grade. For fourth through eighth grades, 50 per cent is school-based and 50 per cent is external, according to a variety of indicators, including project and practical work internally. In ninth and twelfth grade, we use 25 per cent internal and 75 per cent external assessments. The grade VIII examination is administered at the local level, whereas grades X and XII are administered by the National Examination Board.
This gives us an advantage in assessing not only their linguistic abilities but also their knowledge, skills and understandings. We use standardised questions for English language tests in grades VIII, X and XII. We are also putting more emphasis on higher-order thinking, which is assisting both students and teachers with creative thinking. It is not just limited to the English subject. Furthermore, we are working hard to equip teachers with the skills necessary to ask such standard questions.
Given Nepal's multilingual education system, what challenges do you see in integrating English language assessments while maintaining linguistic diversity?
This is the most important topic. We are a very diverse country linguistically, and the constitution protects that right. As a result, we have three language policies - mother tongue, Nepalese and English. Even in the classroom, we have prioritised learning other languages. We have also started using it in early classes to keep them all running concurrently. The primary challenge in our multilingual environment is a lack of practical education. Even teachers are not fully engaged in their work. However, the situation is not the same in all parts of Nepal. However, teachers lack necessary qualifications to teach students to the highest standards.
The theme of this year's conference is 'Technology and Tradition.' How do you think Nepal can effectively combine traditional assessment methods with AI-driven innovations in English language testing?
Technology, particularly AI, has made teachers' jobs much easier. Teachers can now simply serve as facilitators because there is no longer a lack of content and children can learn anything from the Internet. However, the issue lies in the capacity and needs of children. Thus, teachers must be able to identify children's needs and facilitate their learning capacity.
Meanwhile, mobile phones are ubiquitous, but people are unaware of their proper use in conjunction with AI. Overall, they are unfamiliar with how to use electronic devices or what type of content to watch. Moreover, we are struggling when it comes to capacitating our teachers in this regard. New generations of teachers are more IT-savvy, but previous generations are still lagging behind. Despite the fact that the world has become increasingly sophisticated, many teachers are still unable to use computers.
This has resulted in significant disparities between remote area and urban area educational systems. This has had a significant impact on the quality of education. Hence, our focus should be on uplifting remote areas technologically in education, and it should be in the priority list of the government of Nepal as the government is unable to meet the demand for permanent computer teachers in schools.
With the rising importance of English for employability, how is NEB ensuring that English assessments align with the skills required in Nepal's job market?
I think we truly need to emphasise practical education, which is 25 per cent of the grade in Nepal. English is useful in a variety of contexts, including learning and seeking employment in foreign countries. As a result, at the school level, we should focus on oral examinations, also known as practical examinations. This could help students grow as individuals. However, we need to shift our learning system from teachers to schools.
What are some of the key steps Nepal is taking to improve English language assessment at the primary and secondary school levels?
We are assessing English language through our curriculum, which is helping in upgrading their English language skills. In addition, we train teachers and students through various activities, including competitions such as speech and essay writing. I believe we should place a greater emphasis on this.
How do you see AI and digital tools transforming the way students in Nepal learn and are assessed in English? Are there any pilot projects or initiatives in place?
No, we have no such kind of project. However, AI has had both a positive and negative impact. For example, they use AI extensively for question answering, which is reducing their creativity. So, while we should encourage the use of AI, there are some limitations. Otherwise, students will be negatively impacted by AI.
What role do you think international collaborations, such as this British Council conference, can play in shaping Nepal's English assessment policies and practices?
The British Council could play an essential role in shaping Nepal's English language policies and practices. They have done a lot, as far as I know. For example, the British Council, as an expert organisation, assists thousands of people through IELTS. Thus, the government of Nepal and the British Council could really work to help uplift the English assessment work. For example, we are working to develop a master trainer in each palika (Nepal's rural municipality). They could later help improve English and other subject assessments. As a result, the British Council, the National Examinations Board, and local governments could collaborate to foster catalytic change. And I am looking forward to that.
How does NEB address the assessment needs of young learners to ensure their holistic language development? Are there any recent policy changes or initiatives?
To some extent, the curriculum addresses this, but we are still working to expand it beyond paper and pencil tests. We are attempting to work on students' other areas such as extracurricular activities, and how they can aid in holistic language development through their creativity assessment. We are also working to promote the holistic development of children with special needs or specially-abled. However, we are experiencing difficulties in implementing our initiatives. So, we are working to improve the internal assessment system.
What are your key takeaways from this conference, and how do you plan to implement them to enhance English language assessment in Nepal?
I got to learn and hear global practices at the conference. In addition, we should concentrate on four Cs when it comes to assessing children. The acronym 'four Cs' stands for creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication. This is a global trending standard. This conference was extremely beneficial in understanding the concept. Additionally, there is an open-book system. So, we got to learn several globally implemented standards of assessment.
