By Manjima Dhakal
Kathmandu, Oct. 6: Future of around 450,000 students of Grade XII, who are waiting for their examination for six months, has become uncertain as the government has not taken a concrete decision about their board examinations.
The examinations of grade 12 scheduled to have been held from April 20 onwards were deferred, and when the government failed to fix the new schedule amid growing COVID-19 cases, students and their guardians are in dilemma regarding their future.
Now, the students have a new fear that they cannot do well in the examinations even if they are held soon because they have forgotten the course contents.
The students who are planning to go abroad for higher education are also in worry after they missed the academic session in lack of grade 12 certificate.
Suraj Dawadi, grade 12 student of Prabhat Secondary School, Chitwan said, “I don’t have any idea how to attend the examinations if they are held soon because I have forgotten the contents learnt six months ago."
Another 12th grader Anamika Gadtaula is also worrying about her examinations as the NEB has not decided about the examinations. Gadtaula, who went home to Jhapa in March, is studying at home with a hope that the NEB will conduct the examinations soon.
Not only they have forgotten the contents, many students of grade 12 are anxious after they failed to go abroad for higher education in lack of certificate.
Mukul Subedi, a student who was all set to go abroad for higher education, has been compelled to cancel the course after he failed to submit 12 passed certificate. Subedi said that due to flawed education system of the country students like him were compelled to suffer without any fault.
He said that the government could conduct the examinations as it was conducting other services.
Suprabhat Bhandari, chairperson of the Guardians Federation Nepal, said the future of about 500,000 students had become uncertain due to negligence of the government.
Though many stakeholders blamed NEB for its failure in conducting the examination, the NEB stated that the examination was not halted because of them.
Chandra Mani Poudel, chairman of NEB, said that the NEB had proposed different models of examinations at COVID Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) via the Ministry for Education, Science and Technology (MOEST). Though the NEB submitted its proposal for approval to conduct the examination, it is not granted any permission till now even two months after it submitted the proposal, Poudel added.
Poudel said the NEB will be able to conduct the examination by issuing 15 days' notice for students if its proposal was okayed by the CCMC.