A host of problems like faulty curriculum, untrained teachers and delay in getting the textbooks have made it almost impossible for visually-impaired students to pass the mathematics test in SLC.

Jhag Maya Ale, a visually-impaired student from Gorkha-based Shree Saraswoti Higher Secondary School who appeared in the School Leaving Certificate exams last year, secured first division in all other subjects save mathematics. She scored 85 out of 100 in English, 60 in Social Studies, 64 in Nepali and more than 60 marks in other compulsory and optional subjects, but could score only 17 in Compulsory Mathematics. “There are no trained teachers and Braille textbooks for mathematics are not easily available. So, we face difficulties while preparing for the maths paper,” she said.

On top of it, the Office of the Controller of Examinations has the provision of getting an eighth-grader as a writing assistant for the visually-impaired SLC examinees. Earlier, such students used to get a ninth-grader students, who could easily understand problems and symbols, as writing assistants

“For an eighth-grader, it is not easy to understand signs and symbols of class X maths. So, it is unfair to even expect them to answer questions as per our dictation,” she said. Aasma Aryal, a ninth-grader visually impaired student from Lalitpur-based Namuna Machhindra School, complained that even teachers’ attitude towards them was not encouraging. She complained, “When we try to clear our doubts, teachers tell us to talk to the management to appoint Braille-trained teachers.”

She further said, “Mathematics is a subject which is learned by only solving problems, but we are expected to do it by just listening, which is a big challenge. Due to lack of trained teachers, we cannot understand special signs and symbols in maths and science.”

Amrit Rai, director, Nepal Association of the Blind, said out of 81 visually- impaired students who sat for SLC exams last year, three passed with distinction, 39 secured first division, 20 secured second division and 19 failed. Out of the total failed students, majority failed in mathematics and science papers for want of trained teachers, unavailability of writing assistants who are aware of signs and symbols in the two subjects and delay in getting the textbooks, among other factors, he said.

He demanded that the government make mathematics and science optional subjects for Grade IX students, provide question papers in Braille for such students and provide alternative questions or explanatory questions in place of questions with pictures and others.

Mahashram Sharma, spokesman, Ministry of Education, said problems have arisen in SLC because normal and visually impaired students have the same course. “We will discuss alternatives for visually-impaired students and manage appropriate writing assistants for them.”

source:the himalayan times,4 Sep 2013