The Department of Education is mooting the introduction of a student tracking system in a bid to cut down on the rate of school dropouts. Many students in rural areas are often forced to quit classes because of migration-induced problems, following which, they have little option other than to discontinue studies. The new tracking system is envisaged to keep track of students, especially the dropouts and non-schoolgoing children, by assigning a referral identification number to each of those enrolled, which can help identify students anywhere inside the country besides keeping track of his or her performance. As a result, they can continue to study in any school in the same grade. Earlier tested at Latikoili village in Surkhet and now at a school in Bashdole, Kavre, with support from Save the Children, Norway, the indications are that the system yields good results.

The Ministry of Education has been gearing up to the challenges facing it on several fronts. After it embraced the Education For All by 2015 goal, the Ministry has since been introducing reforms. Following its decision last October to provide No Objection Certificates to students going abroad within a day and by simplifying procedures for them to obtain foreign currency, students from different backgrounds have benefited from it. Similarly, the impending tracking system appears to come in handy for those affected by the insurgency and other difficulties. More so because the new measure is devised keeping well in mind the problems facing those who have already quit classes besides the non-schoolgoing group. Furthermore, the introduction of flexible schooling facility for these lot through a condensed curriculum of three instead of the normal five years would greatly help child workers, dropouts and other deprived children. Intangible as the direct benefits of education are, the yardstick for the progress of these programmes, however, will have to be closely monitored before it is introduced throughout the country.

While 600,000 children do not have access to education, another 2.6 million children work as labourers in Nepal. Hence, any such reforms which might help these discriminated lot is always welcome. Equally vital is reform at various levels of the present system in order to impart education to the deprived communities. Timely announcement of the results, elimination of human errors in the course of preparing results, among others, need to be encouraged. Now that the Ministry has realised the need for swifter measures, it must ensure that transformation and updating exercises are extended to other areas as well. Outdated formalities must also be done away with so that students are not barred from realising their goals.