KATHMANDU, Nepal–With the Office of the Controller of Examination (OCE), a government body mandated to hold the SLC (School Leaving Certificate), made public the results on Friday evening, Nepal’s education system has once been drawn in severe criticism.
According to results, only 43.92 percent made through this year’s SLC, a trivial progress as compared to last year’s 41.57 percent which had been labeled as the worst outcome in five years.
The SLC or the “iron gate” in Nepal is the final examination in the secondary school system that takes place annually.
To be eligible for obtaining higher education or join colleges and universities, one must cross this Iron Gate.
Of the total 548,248 students taken part in the examination, nearly two third students have not been succeeded.
Experts believe that the rise in the number of students failing in the examination means a rise in the number of unemployed youth in the country. With the drop in the pass percentage, they have also called for a serious reform in the whole education system.
“Country’s education system needs serious and systematic change”, an education expert told to Nepal Mountain Focus. According to him, existing old education policy and examination system is responsible for degrading results of SLC. Another expert said three-hour examination system was not enough check the skills of students.
Suicide trend increased
Along with the failure in examination, the trend of committing suicide among students has increased in the country.
Three students were reported to have committed suicide after failing to pass the examination till Sunday morning. The SLC toll had climbed to six in 2013.
Rakshya Shrestha, 15, of Rukumkot VDC-6 and Ganga Thapa, 15, of Khalanga VDC-8 in Rukum district hanged themselves to death after they could not get through the examinations.
Shrestha and Thapa had took part the SLC examinations from a local school in the district.
Likesise, Basanti Ghimire, 16, of Gwalichaur VDC-8 in Baglung committed suicide by hanging herself at her house soon she failed the exam, according to police report.
Psychologists believe that the students may have committed suicide due to pressure and guilt of not being able to meet the expectations of their parents.
In the meantime, health experts have been asking the parents not to exert unnecessary stress on their children for study.