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The world is changing, and so should the education system in Nepal. Needless to say, there have been changes as compared to the past. We have shifted from giving the exam results in numbers and percentages to GPA (grade point average).bookmark
Published at : July 5, 2018
Updated at : July 5, 2018 07:52
The world is changing, and so should the education system in Nepal. Needless to say, there have been changes as compared to the past. We have shifted from giving the exam results in numbers and percentages to GPA (grade point average). The
School Leaving Certificate examination used to be called the ‘iron gate’, and many couldn’t get through it. We have now done away with it. We have extended high school education up to grade 12, and the final examination of grade 10 is called SEE (Secondary Education Examination). With this new education system, a majority of students will be able to continue their higher education despite not doing very well in certain subjects. Some commendable progress, isn’t it? No more iron gates and no more tears and suicides.
However, all that glitters is not gold. There have been big debates, discussions and concerns that the GPA system has demotivated students. Some teachers and students have become less serious about their work. “What’s the point in working hard and teaching?” teachers are saying. And there are students who take it for granted that they will definitely pass the examination even if they don’t work hard, so they see no reason to study. These and other factors are actually hitting the quality of education in the country at the moment. To address this issue, the Ministry of Education and organisations working in the education sector are working to find a solution.
One of the ways to solve this problem is to consolidate the education of weak students so that there is no vast difference between the weak and the top students. This idea
seems to have been received well by educators lately. One way to address the issue is to publish a remedial course for weak students and provide training to teachers to show how this remedial course can be fitted into the curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Education. In this regard, it may be worth mentioning the partnership formed between Kathmandu University, the Department of Education and World Education who are working in consultation with the concerned government authorities to create remedial courses with the slogan ‘Let’s Learn Together, Let’s Grow Together’ in three core subjects: English, science and math. If this is well received and becomes successful, remedial courses in other subjects can also be developed.
The main challenges to upgrading the quality of education in public schools are motivating the teachers, head teachers and chairpersons of rural municipalities or municipalities and improving the quality of teachers themselves. Needless to say, now that the country has entered the federal system, different provinces, rural municipalities and municipalities have to work hard to upgrade the quality of education by hook or crook. Quality of education provided to students should not be neglected at any cost. We should move ahead with progress.
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