COVER STORY (Spotlight Weekly)

Pathetic Public Schools

The result of School Leaving Certificate Examinations (SLC) 2000 has once again revealed that it is a test to disqualify more than 50 percent of the students. The SLC results come out as joyful experience for students of private schools and sorrowful one for students of public school. Clearly the quality of education has been divided between the two schools. While the media glosses only over the successful half of the students, the stories of large number of failed students go untold. Even after the huge investment and efforts, why is it the only (or less) fifty percent students that pass the SLC every year

By KESHAB POUDEL

Students looking at the result : Joy for some, sorrow for many

What makes for an outstanding school? Is it the location, building or sprawling ground, teachers or traditional reputations? In Nepal, the schools' reputation is, after all, judged on the basis of pass percentage of its students in SLC results.

More the students pass out from a school better its reputation. The situation is such that all private schools strive hard to figure in the top in the SLC rankings.

The SLC examination has become a competitive test for not only the individual students but also the private schools who want to earn glory through it. In the competition, however, the private schools prevail over the public schools where only one third of total students secure minimum pass mark.

Parents do not care whether the school is in a rented house at narrow lane of Kathmandu or in small huts of Rupandehi district, 400 KM west of the capital, what they care is the percentage in SLC results. In fact, the whole image of school depends upon its SLC results.

But if one it to take SLC results as the standard to judge the quality of education, public schools where the largest number of students study, are next to nothing.

The five decade old SLC system, critics argue, is unscientific and outdated. They argue the exam encourages students to cram the book rather than instill a sense of creativity and self- exercise. That way, even the quality of SLC pass students, according to critics, may not be up to the mark.

There have ben instances when the toppers of SLC have failed in their subsequent campus exams. Besides, as students are found to be freely cheating in many places, their SLC mark-sheet may not be the exact reflection of their quality.

Even many topper students have failed to score high percentage in the college education. Whatever the situation may be, parents see this is the only way to evaluate the performance of their kids.

In Terai and remote areas, cheating has been so rampant that even teachers supply text books to their students at the time of exams. "How can you judge the quality of students when some pass out with hard labor and others just by copying the text," asked Hitkarbir Singh Kansakar, Headmaster of Paropakar Madhyamik Vidyalaya, a public school in Kathmandu.

If we look at the percentage pass figures of past SLC exams, we can not find a single year where it has crossed the mark of 50 percent except during the revolution of 2007 B.S (1950). That year cent percent of the students passed the SLC. Since then the pass percent has always hovered in between 18 to 50.

The past percentage of previous years was 49 percent but this year it is 45 percent on average. In 1993, the pass rate was just 32 percent. The pass percentage of students of public schools are terribly low. Last year private schools secured whopping 86 percent pass rate whereas public schools secured only 44 percent. Within the pass percentage, the number of first division students remain even lower. In 1992 only 12 percent of students secured the first division mark.

SLC is also known as an iron gate as it is taken as exit point from high school and entry point for higher education. Generally, it is also regarded as a point when an individual becomes eligible for the employment. For the students of public schools, it is always an uphill task to pass SLC.

"The SLC exams test favors the urban middle class," said Dr. Min Bahadur Bista, education expert (See box). "There is a need to increase the quality and efficiency of teachers in public schools."

Private schools begin its preparation for SLC in earnest while it is not so in the public schools. That could be one reason why results of public schools are always below the national average.

Preliminary results has indicated that less than 40 percent of students from public schools passed in the recently published SLC 2000 results compared to more than 80 percent students of private schools.

Sumnima Singh, a girl from Siddhartha Banasthali Institute, topped this year's SLC securing about 92% (647 marks out of 700). Among the boys, two students, Jeevan Poudel from Siddhartha Banasthali and Manoj Bohara, from a school in Butawal, jointly topped the chart each securing 643.

This year the SLC Board decided to do away with its earlier practice of publishing top ten students saying it was leading to unhealthy competition among private schools. As expected, no students of public school fared in the top list this year, too. No public school student has featured in the top ten list since last one decade.

"We decided to remove the top ten system on the ground that it encouraged the unhealthy competition among private schools," said Dr. Sahadev Bhatta, Controller of Examination of SLC Board.

The decision also shows poor thinking on the part of Nepalese education policy-makers. "SLC board cannot punish school children for their own fault," said Rajesh Khadka, Director of GEMS School and President of Private and Boarding School Organization of Nepal.

Efficiency of private school is high since they need to prove their credibility to the public. Unlike them, government schools receive patronage and support from the government.

Over the decades, annual government expenditure in public schools has continued to swell. In 1990 the government spent Rs 301 million in regular budget and Rs 1.22 billion in development for education. The budget has now increased by 10 folds.

In 1991\92, the government's investment to a student was Rs. 654 a year and now it is spending more than Rs. 2500. The sample study of 1998 conducted by Dr. Min Bahadur Bista revealed that per student investment in the private school was Rs. 8574 in 1998.

Of course, total investment in public schools has increased but it is still inadequate to enhance the quality of education. The trend of budget allocations over the years show that a large proportion of annual budget is spent to feed teachers salary and only a nominal amount of money has been spared to improve the infrastructures.

Gone are the days when public schools like Padmodaya, Padma Kanya, Bishwo Niketan, Paropakar and Juddhodaya of Kathmandu and Balkumari and Luintel schools at Chitawan used to dominate the toppers' list of SLC.

All old public schools now seem to be losing to private schools. Compared to private schools, public schools still have many advantages as they have their own big buildings with large areas of land, experienced teachers with guaranteed jobs and adequate annual government budget.

So what has gone so wrong with the public schools that are not able to compete with private schools many of which are running in rented buildings with no play-ground. The teachers at the private schools also do not enjoy job guarantees, provident funds and pensions.

Despite that, private schools are leading in SLC results passing out almost ninety percent of their students every year. Why have private schools won over the mind of parents and why the government schools failed to do so? The answer is simple: Private schools are working hard.

Private schools must pass out at least 80 percent of their students to prove that they are efficient while government schools do not have to worry on such things.

Public schools justify their poor performance in SLC results saying that they teach students from poor strata of population and offer education in remote areas.

Doesn't it still mean that the quality given by public schools is not at par with the private schools? Every students should be given quality education irrespective of education institutions. If there are such disparities in quality, how do the students of public schools compete with students of private schools once they are out of school?

The existing pathetic situation of public schools can be changed but what is required is all concerned parties should express their commitment and dedication to change it. The role of District Education Office is very important in this regard.

The education statistic shows that only one student in each 11 students admitted in class 1 studies up to class 10. Between 30,000-40,000 students fail each year in test examination that is held prior to SLC. Who is responsible for such failures?

"SLC examinations need to be reviewed as it is a system where more than 50 percent of students fail," said Rajesh Khadka.

According to the SLC results of 1999, 86 percent of students of private schools passed as against the national average of 49 percent whereas pass rate in public schools was 32 percent.

If the results are analyzed on the basis of divisions, the performance of public schools is further dismal. According to the study by Dr. Min Bahadur Bista, only 8 percent students secured the first division mark in 1994 and 12 percent in 1999. "If we minus the contribution of private schools, the SLC results may show disturbing trend," said Dr. Bista, an educationist.

The number secured by students is also very poor. There is very modest gain in the SLC result. The analysis showed that on average students secure 41 marks in the mathematics. In 1999, average students secured 39 mark overall.

If the mark scored by private schools is deleted, it could further decline. As such public schools are in no position to retain the education system as a whole.

Till 1979 private boarding schools were very few and public schools always had the monopoly over the SLC results. After the new government policy of 1980, the private schools started to mushroom. Over the last two decades, the pace of growth of private schools was so high that they are now leading comfortably.

In Nepal, it is the SLC results through which guardians judge the performance of schools and quality of education.

Like in the past, SLC 2000 results are less joyful for the students of public schools as only 20 percent students of 80 percent public schools have made it through the exam.

In terms of investment, the education sector receives more than 15 percent of annual budget. The secondary schools alone receive more than 25 percent of the total budget.

If we look at the investment in the public schools, government is simply pumping in huge amount with little return.

In 1990\91 the regular budget was 280.29 million rupees whereas development budget was Rs. 1.44 billion in education. The development budget of 1999\2000 indicates reverse trend as the regular budget has bagged Rs 6.40 billion while development budget is Rs 1.64 billion.

The change in the annual budget structure in school expenditures is understandable as large amount of money is now needed to provide salaries and other facilities including payment of rent, electricity and telephone charges.

As the number of private schools continue to rise, the government's expense on public schools is somehow checked. Of the total 3939 secondary schools, there are 1506 private schools which provide education to 1,02,951 students.

Despite the decline in the pass percentage in SLC examination, public schools hardly spend money to develop school infrastructures like buildings, science labs, libraries and computer facilities.

Finance Minister has sanctioned Rs 11.74 billion for the fiscal year 2000\1 in education sector.

Can Nepal's education system meet the challenges in a situation when large number of public schools failed to produce desired results?

The experiment of the last two decades have brought the painful failures and realization that ultimately school education cannot survive without strong public education system. Even in developed countries, the importance of public schools is always present.

Today most educationists suspect a terrifying vacuum of quality in education given by public schools. "There is an urgent need to do something to bridge the gap between public and private schools," said Dr. Bista.

Nepal's public schools are failing to respond to the challenges, Instead most public schools have let the moss grow, sliding in a shell of apathy, blaming everything on lack of government support.

Although some of the public schools have better results and take care of their students, majority of the public schools have neither such commitments nor they take any efforts in this direction.

"The headmasters of public schools should have the right to hire and fire teachers like in the case of private schools," said Bhavani Bikram Rana, headmaster of Shivapuri Madhyamik Vidyalaya.

Due to over politicization and centralization, the public schools are today no more than a place of anarchy. "High drop-outs, frequent disruption of classes and lack of budget have ruined the public school management," said Rana.

Despite the notable increase of public schools, the situation is gradually worsening. This is the reason majority of the parents want to send their child to private schools. The result is that mostly the children of low economic strata of population are joining the government schools.

The disparities in the private and public school is so wide that it is now impossible to bring public schools at par with the private boarding schools without a major revamp.

Ministry of Education : Needs to adopt modern policies

During last one and a half decade, the domination of private school continued to rise and public school became a shelter for the poor and underprivileged students. Although some public schools still have good result, middle class families now rarely send their children to public schools.

School education in the country, to put it mildly, is swamped in crisis. Far reaching changes are needed at this juncture. Today, the country's largest examination systems (3939 high schools catering to 200,000 students) is tattering at the edges. Its problems are two faced: declining quality of education in the public schools and increasing fees at private schools.

Good schools don't often confess they are in a mess. But Durbar High School - one of the oldest and most popular schools - is just that. The school building which was renovated a few years ago, still needs more renovation. The library and class room is not up to the mark. There is no science laboratory and buildings to the students. Chemicals are so expensive that routine practicals are being missed out.

Despite injecting big investment, only a small portion of students of public school are able to pass SLC. Even the validity of SLC examination is under the question. In such circumstances, the time has come to review the return on the huge investment the government is making on public schools.

"I Will Give Priority To Research Works"— Sumnima Singh

SUMNIMA SINGH made a history in the early morning of July 1, 2000 by becoming the highest scorer ever in the SLC exams. A 16-year-old girl, Singh was overjoyed to know she topped this year's SLC and that too with record 647 marks securing 92.43 %. Also interested in literature, Singh wants to become a scientist in future. A student who secured the first position in SLC result, wants to be a scientist. A student of Sidhartha Banasthali, Singh shared her joys with NISHCHAL CHAPAGAIN . Excerpts :

Did you think you would top the SLC?

I was confident that I would find a place in top ten list but I had no idea that I was going to top the list.

Two weeks before the publication of SLC results, your principal predicted that his student would become board first. How do you look at it?

I think his statement was based on his confidence in me. He is aware of my hard work and family background. The assessment of other teachers of my school could also have helped him make the statement. But I am disappointed at the manner in which many newspapers misinterpreted his good intention.

How could he particularly point out your name when there were so many other competent students?

I told you that it was his confidence in my hard work. There is nothing more than that.

A girl who had featured in the top ten list of last year's SLC is said to have failed in one subject in campus. Doesn't this indicate there is something wrong in the whole system of SLC ranking?

I don't know about her case but I will prove my efficiency.

It is charged that irregularities are rampant in SLC board. What is your impression on that?

I don't think that there are irregularities in SLC board. Such problems may happen because there is vast gap in SLC course and higher education. The background of SLC alone is not enough to complete higher education. What is required is further labor. I will work harder in the higher education level.

How do you see the decision of SLC board to retain only two places in the board this year?

I don't agree with the step taken by the government. Board system is based on competition and not on corruption and irregularities. I think they should encourage competition among the students of different parts of the country. There is no rationale behind the decision to do away with the board system. If there are any bad practices, they should correct it. Canceling the total system of publishing top ten list will discourage competition among students. Take my case, I had prepared for last so many years to achieve this feat.

What do you want to be in future?

I will pursue with science. I will definitely give priority to research work. I also want to take up literature along with my study. In the next 25 years, I want to do something fruitful in the sector of science and technology.

"Pass Percent Is Not Bad Compared To Quality Of Students"

— Subarna Shakya

SUBARNA SHAKYA is a Headmaster of Durbar High School, one of the oldest high schools of the country. Shakya spoke to SPOTLIGHT regarding the overall quality of public schools. Excerpts:

How do you see the overall performance of public schools vis-a-vis the SLC results?

We are able to show what we have invested in the education sector. The pass percentage is not very bad compared to the quality of students.

What do you mean?

Public schools are nowadays no more than education institutions for the children of poor family. We are offering services to those needy people whose family do not care much about the academic atmosphere.

What type of students do you have in your school?

The students are the children of Rickshaw puller, drivers and house maids. We don't have any student from middle class. In that, the pass percentage secured by my school is more than our expectation.

It is said that the public schools have everything to boast like spacious area, central location, qualified teachers and annual budget. Why do public schools fail to produce good results?

I don't agree that the our results are poor. When you compare our results with private schools, it is poor. So far as the results of our school is concerned more than 50 percent f our students passed the SLC. Besides, you cannot link the spacious area with the quality of education.

If the public schools can not provide quality education, what is the use of investment?

As I told you, public schools are providing education to the poor section of the society. So far as the private schools are concerned, they are concentrated in the urban areas. The investment of the government, therefore, is fully utilized.

As a headmaster of country's oldest school, how do you see your role?

In private schools, headmasters can hire and fire any teachers on the basis of their performance. In public schools, headmasters cannot do anything except publish routine as he does not have any right to hire and fire teachers. This is the difference. If headmasters in the public schools, too, had the right to do so, it would be much better.

"Public Schools Cater To Poor Strata Of Population"

— Dr. Min Bahadur Bista

Dr. Min Bahadur Bista - an education expert - is busy in research regarding the quality of education. Bista has his own arguments on the overall performance of students as regard to the SLC exam. Excerpts:

How do you see the overall investment in the public schools?

Of course, overall investment in the public school has increased by many fold over the years but more than 90 percent of annual budget is used to pay monthly salary of teachers. In 1992 per student expenditure in public school was Rs. 654, it increased to Rs. 1816 in 1998.

Do you mean the resource allocation is still inadequate?

It is still inadequate in the sense that the investment has not been used to improve the overall physical quality of schools. The quality of teachers is one of the important component for quality of education. Due to politicization and poor education management, we are unable to get any kind of return from teachers.

How do you see the public schools?

Public schools are providing education to the poor strata of population. Public schools are the first generation of schools where you can find students who do not have any academic culture. In public schools stock of teachers are poorly motivated and inadequately qualified and students too come from economically poor and culturally non-academic sections. The present curriculum test does not favor to the poor but it favors the urban middle class.

What is your impression on the private schools?

Parents are given choice as every parents want to give best quality education to their children. It is natural on their part to choose the best. Even if government introduced one single system, parents will hire tutors to give best quality education to their children. There is no doubt that private schools will offer best quality education compared to the public schools. This, in turn, definitely widens the gap between private and public schools.

How do you see the recent decision of the SLC board to remove the board (top ten ranking) system?

I don't see any rationale behind this decision. The board system definitely encourages the competition among public and private schools. Although it favors private schools, public schools may also benefit from it. It is the failure of the government in monitoring and weak institutions. I see this as a desperate decision. Due to the competition, even public schools were gradually changing their way of teaching. The decision to suspend the whole system of publishing top ten list will harm all sectors.

What is you impression on the quality of education provided by the private schools?

In secondary level, private schools are major education providers as their contribution is over 40 percent. Private schools are surviving on the basis of market. Private schools have to produce best result to attract the students.

What is you impression of the school management?

More resources, more teacher training, readers and revisions in education regulations will not bring about changes in the performance of public education. As long as the resources do not trickle down and the decision of management cannot be sent to the grass root level, the quality education will not materialize. We have to develop the mechanism to send resources to institution level. I think the present resource managing structures should change.

Are public schools poor in terms of physical facilities?

I don't think so. Public schools are in much better position in terms of physical facilities than the private ones. The teachers in public schools are trained. They also have job guarantee. They do not have to worry about the resources.

"Pvt Schools Have To Prove Their Efficiency To Survive"

— Rajesh Khadka

RAJESH KHADKA - Director of GEMS School and President of Private and Boarding Schools Organization of Nepal - has a long experience of teaching. Khadka spoke to SPOTLIGHT on various issues regarding the SLC exams. Excerpts:

How do you see the present decision to remove the top ten system?

It is a very discouraging decision. Instead of removing the system the Examination Controllers' Office should have made corrections within. If they did not see the possibility that the system would deliver the fair justice, they should have corrected the procedure. I think the present decision is more unhealthy.

What is your opinion on existing SLC system?

The time has come to review the existing SLC system. As the number of students continue to increase in the SLC, it is impossible to check copies of such a large number of students in short period of time remaining within the present system. It was introduced at the time when there were less than 5000 students but today more than 200,000 students appear in the SLC. I think there is a need to diversify the SLC board. If there are a couple of SLC boards, it will increase the competition among different boards. At present, results of some students were even withheld because the Examination Control Office lost their answer copies. SLC has become unmanageable.

How do you find the present SLC result?

The time has come to think about the future of 100,000 students who are disqualified by the SLC. The existing SLC system limits the number of high school graduates. They must increase the pass percent to at least 75 percent.

What is your reflections about the public schools?

Private schools have to prove their efficiency for survival whereas public schools need not do so. Public schools can get resources even without making any progress. The government will provide them the budget irrespective of their results. People are losing faith on public schools so every parents want to send their schools to private schools.

Do you mean public schools are losing their credibility?

Yes. If they were credible and effective, nobody would send their children to private schools. Public schools also enjoy huge investment. Government spends a huge amount of public resources to teach in public schools.

How can we improve the present situation of public schools?

If public schools are handed over to private parties, they will definitely be in better position. Even the buildings like Durbar Schools and other public schools can be leased out to private parties. That could change the overall situation of such schools.