Kathmandu, September 23

Technical and Vocational Education School Network — a network of schools that are providing technical and vocational education in Grade IX and X — is organising a gathering of technical schools from across the country in Bhaktapur tomorrow to discuss various issues related to technical education in the higher secondary level.

Ram Hada, president, TVESN said today that they have been demanding that the government allow all 99 schools to run technical classes in Grade XI from this year. He said the network has invited all school principals and chairpersons of respective school management committees to discuss challenges in running technical classes.

In 2013, the government piloted technical and vocation education in 99 schools across the country. The first batch of students in technical and vocational stream passed SLC this year.

He said the government had already selected 99 schools to run technical and vocational classes in 2013, so the HSEB must allow all of them to run technical classes in Grade XI from this year. “Otherwise it will be an injustice to both the schools and students,” he said.

The HSEB had earlier sought application from interested schools to run technical classes in Grade XI. Altogether, 85 schools had filed applications, while the HSEB has granted approval to only 62 secondary schools to run technical classes.

“HSEB has been issuing permission to higher secondary schools to run additional classes but we want the HSEB to also allow secondary schools to run technical classes in Grade XI,” he added.

Earlier, the TVESN had given seven-day ultimatum to the HSEB to allow all schools to run technical classes and to revise the curriculum of technical education in Grade XI. Soon after that, the HSEB had given approval to 62 higher secondary schools to run additional classes and issued a new notice calling for applications from schools that had failed to file their applications within the deadline.“The gathering will be held in Bhaktapur-based Shree Padma Higher Secondary School,” Hada said.

Although the academic session of Grade XI has already started from August 1, schools have not been able to run technical classes due to HSEB’s indecision.