SEE preparations complete in Karnali

By Nabin Subedi,Surkhet, Mar. 27: Preparations for the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) in Karnali Province have been completed.The National Examination Board is conducting this year’s SEE from March 28 to April 9.

In Karnali Province, a total of 35,808 students are participating in the SEE. Among them, 17,623 are males and 18,158 are females. According to the Education Development Directorate, Surkhet, 186 examination centres have been designated throughout the province.

Meanwhile, 23 examination centres have been set up in Rukum West with 3,593 examinees. In Salyan, there are 25 examination centres with 4,582 examinees. However, the number of SEE-appearing students is very low in the Himalayan districts. 

Dolpa has the lowest number of students appearing in SEE at just 733. Only four examination centres have been set up in Dolpa. Similarly, there are only six examination centres in Humla for 1,195 students.

There are eight examination centres in Mugu for 1,113 examinees. Likewise, in Kalikot, 24 examination centres are established for 3,736 examinees. In Jumla, there are 16 examination centres for 2,557 students, in Jajarkot, there are 22 examination centres for 4,694 students and in Dailekh there are 25 examination centres for 5,257 students. The largest number of students are appearing in SEE from Surkhet in Karnali Province.  Education Development Directorate has fixed 33 examination centres for 8,348 students in Surkhet.

According to Lok Prasad Paudyal, Information Officer of the Directorate, of the total students participating in the examinations, 826 are appearing for grade increment while the rest are regular students. He said that all preparations for the SEE in Karnali had been completed. Question papers and answer sheets had been delivered to the concerned examination centres, he added.

Decrease in Number of SEE Students:

The number of students appearing for SEE in Karnali has been decreasing every year. Last year, 38,970 students from the province participated in SEE, but this year, the number has decreased by 3,162 students. Even in Surkhet, which is the capital, the number of students has decreased this year. Last year, 9,139 students from Surkhet appeared in SEE. The number of students has decreased in almost all districts. 

There has also been a decrease in the number of students in the Himalayan districts. Last year, 1,234 students appeared for SEE in Humla while 1,666 and 698 students appeared in Mugu and Dolpa respectively.

Similarly, in Bajura of Sudurpashchim Province, the number of students has decreased this year. There were 3,382 SEE students in the district last year, and this year only 2,966 students are appearing in SEE. 

In many districts, students dropped out of school in grades 7-8 due to poor economic conditions. Additionally, financially strong parents have transferred their children to private schools, leading to a decline in the number of students in government schools.

Declining Quality:

The quality of education in Karnali has been declining over the years. According to the results published by the National Examination Board in 2021, only 114 students from Karnali scored a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.6 and above, which is very low. Out of the 37,362 SEE students from the province, only 951 managed to achieve an 'A' grade. 

Last year's results were also disappointing. Only 240 students scored GPAs between 3.60 to 4.00. Similarly, 1,332 students scored between GPAs 3.20 to 3.60, 3,688 students scored GPAs between 2.80 to 3.20, 11,112 students scored GPAs between 2.40 to 2.80, and 11,239 students scored GPAs between 2.00 to 2.40.