The United Nations’ appeal that parties to the ongoing conflict allow smooth conduct of the SLC examination is a timely reminder so that students could appear for the exams in a conducive atmosphere. It is indeed true that students, who are neither responsible for the conflict nor deserve to be pulled into the whirlwind of chaos, cannot be made a victim of a crisis which originated miles away from the classroom. But unfortunately, innocent students are being made to suffer the effects of the conflict, though this goes against democracy and civilised norms, besides violating the right to education. It would also be grave injustice to the students if anyone thought that the SLC exams were an expendable set of tests and ignored the call from different quarters to lift all kinds of hurdles during the brief period of time when the exams are under way. Because today’s students are tomorrow’s citizens, education will enable them to shoulder the responsibility of the country in future. Above all, it is every student’s right to appear for exams in a peaceful atmosphere and without fear.

That said, the existing state of the schools and students brings us face to face with a very discouraging trend. Nepal already has a very low overall enrolment rate, and the enrolment rate for the girls is even lower. The UN estimates that more than half a million children aged six to ten do not go to school at all. Another 3.3 million in primary schools fail to complete it. A quarter of those who make it to the SLC level simply cannot get through the Iron Gate. This situation is made worse by the spate of student abductions and preventive detentions, not to mention the conversion of schools into barracks and bunkers. Fear stalks the classrooms because of which the exam centres have been moved to district headquarters. For most poor families that itself is too much of a burden. It is reported that lack of shelter in the district headquarters is already a nightmare for examinees. A board examination is a stressful exercise for the students. SLC has always been considered among the most feared among all examinations. Therefore, SLC examination is as much a test of the nation’s concern for the student’s well-being as it is a test for the pupils. It is also one such time when the warring sides, locals, businessmen, civil servants, well-wishers and volunteers all need to extend a helping hand to the visiting students so that their years of hard work bears fruit and opens the door to a whole new academic and professional world waiting to be explored. To this end, it is the responsibility of all citizens to help the students achieve their goals. But the ones who can actually do it now are the parties to the conflict.