Students preparing for School Leaving Certificate examinations are in dilemma after the government endorsed Education (eighth amendment) Bill, bringing education up to Grade XII under secondary education.

As per the new law, school termination examinations will now be held in Grade XII. Grade X examinations, which were so far considered the ‘iron gate’ of school education, will now be held only at the regional level.

For this purpose, the existing Higher Secondary Board is being transformed into National Examination Board.

The bill has divided school education into two categories — basic education (from early childhood education to grade VIII) and secondary education (from Grade IX to XII).

Priyanka Rai, a tenth grader from Naxal-based Brihaspati Vidhya Sadan said, “We were planning to pursue higher education in different subjects after completion of SLC exams.

But as reported in the media, SLC exams will not be held from this year.

However, our teachers are saying that SLC will be phased out only from next year as we have already filled our registration forms. This has added to our confusion.”

Sita Shrestha, a tenth grader at Imadol-based Shree Gamvir Samundra Setu Higher Secondary School, said she could not concentrate on her studies as the prospect of having to undergo two more years of school education was distracting her.

Tek Bahadur Poudyal, principal of Anamnagar-based Occidental Public School, said, “Information disseminated by the media could not give a clear picture of whether SLC exams will be held this year. Hence, students are worried,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has formed a committee chaired by member secretary of HSEB to conduct a study on whether the SLC exams should be phased out from the ongoing academic session.

Dr Hari Lamsal, spokesperson, MoE, today said the issue was still being discussed. “Until and unless the bill gets authenticated by the President and the NEB starts its work, it would be difficult to say whether the SLC exams will be phased out this year.” He informed that the first priority of ministry was to announce the result of SLC exams-2072.

source:the himalayan times,7 june 2016