Renu Kshetri

Kathmandu, May 23:

The Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) plans to establish a “model” higher secondary school each in 14 districts by August 1. Existing community higher secondary schools that fulfil all the criteria will be chosen as premises for the model schools. “The procedure is in

the last phase and the school venues will be finalized through fieldwork scheduled for the second week of July,” said Dr Mana Prasad Wagle, member of the monitoring team of the Central Development Region Dr Wagle said with the establishment of 14 model schools, students from even the deprived sections of society woul have an opportunity for quality

education. In the first phase, HSEB has targeted to establish the schools in Jhapa, Sunsari, Siraha, Dolakha, Makwanpur, Kavrepalanchowk, Kaski, Rupendhehi, Parbat, Dang, Banke, Mugu, Kailali and Darchula.

HSEB had specified certain criteria for the model schools such as number of students, pass percentage, syllabus, library facilities, examination centres, hostel facilities, teachers’ experience, capacity of examination centres, extracurricular activities, administrative financial audit, principals’ experience and physical infrastructure. “The government will support such schools financially. These will be established as resource centres for providing technical education,” said Dr Wagle. “The model schools will then be used for providing teachers’ training and academic support to surrounding schools,” said Dr Wagle. The student bodies and higher secondary education board had agreed on the establishment of the schools on June 28, 2004, and also to increase the number to 33 within the next four year. Under the 10th plan, HSEB envisages 205 higher secondary schools throughout the nation so that students from poor economic background also can study. “Due to the financial crunch, however, the government has decided to open only one model school each in the 75 districts by 2007,” said Dr Wagle. The number will be doubled subsequently.