What are the reasons for high failure rate in SLC exam?

What are the reasons for high failure rate in SLC exam?

We had taken some important issues , this issues are related with our Nepalis education system , where many students were failing in school leaving certificate examination . this results gives more challenge to our education system , many factors are responsible to bring this type of result in s.l.c , so we have brings some useful  voice from different participants , we want to know who is responsible for the decreasing result and how can we minimize the failure students rate in our context?  We want to give special thanks to Mr. Binod pr. Pant and students of Kathmandu university school of  Education .

Why do so many students fail? Is it simply answer  because most  the students are not prepared well at home or in school or is it because the curriculum demands a lot more from them than they can possibly achieve? Or does the fault lie in the examination system? Clearly, the explanations behind the high student failure rates are complex and multidimensional.

Table 1.1. Number of SLC candidates and pass percentage

Source: OCE (2005

Year (B.S.)	Candidates	Pass %	Year (B.S.)	Candidates	Pass %
2041	33428	28.60	2051	79588	42.97
2042	53689	28.16	2052	90458	38.30
2045	56870	33.92	2055	139202	49.20
2049	77455	31.49	2059	170389	32.05
2050	79420	31.30	2060	175418	46.18

                The increasing number of candidates together with the relatively stagnant pass rate means that the pool of unsuccessful SLC candidates has been growing during the past two decades. Obviously, the secondary school system of Nepal is suffering from a high degree of inefficiency and wastage of valuable national resources.( as cited by S.L.C study team , 2005)

Research participants

Student1 (Boy): I think teachers do not give their time in school. In my school, science teacher became absent for 40-45 days. He is a leader of teachers. So, he told that he needs to go in meeting and attend programs.

Parent 4: let us not close the schools for this and that reasons. The school should run at least for 200 days. The teachers’ and students ‘ union should focus on their profession development rather to serve the political parties , the school supervisor  should supervise actively ,develop the report and should have provision of reward and punish to the teachers.

Teacher 3: the result is obvious. You can see the number of strikes organized by political parties, teacher’s union, students’ union and other groups. In many districts, the total classes did not exceed to 150 in last to 150 in last session

Student2 (Boy): In government schools, there is no chance to ask questions after and before the class. There are 60-70 students in a class. Teachers come and give the lectures. There is no one in our home to help us. We cannot afford extra tuition classes too. If there are 25-30 students in a class and if we get any additional support, we can do better.

Educationist 3:  the main problem is the contents that we give to our students. Almost all subjects are theoretical. Science teachers teach their students believing that everyone will be scientist in future , math teachers believes that everyone should be mathematician in future, language teachers believe that everyone should be language exports in future , we are not  focusing on students’ interest and  practical education. Why don’t we make two streams (general and vocational) from the high school and give choice to the students. If they choose the subjects they love, they automatically compelled to learn that subject.

Teacher 4: I think our students have negative attitudes towards the formal education.  You can see many educated people around us who have not been able to join in a job, not able to start their business. Most of them are in frustration and try to go in Arabian countries like Malaysia, Quarter for blue colored job.

Student3 (Boy): what to do after study? I am not still convinced. There is no opportunity in our country. My brother is in Dubai as a worker. I also go after 2-3 months. What can we do just by rote memorization of theories in science, solving lengthy problem in mathematics.

Parent 3:  Now, it‘s time to change the curriculum, textbooks and evaluation system. The old system could not grasp the attention of the students, teachers and parents. In fact, there is no respect and hope to the present education system from all the stakeholders

Student4 (Girl): My house is in Dolpa. In grade 10, I went only 70 days in school. In our school, we got books after 3 months of the session began. We need to spend 2-3 months to collect “Yarsagumba”. We have teachers from other districts. Some of them arrive after 15 days of the session begins, some of them leave the before few weeks of dashian vacation. I rarely find all teachers in the school.

Parent 2: I do not have good financial status. I could not send my kids in private schools. Neither could I afford tuition classes for my child. You know   the condition of public schools. The public school, where my son studied, got 0% result. I think there are not only mistakes from students’ side there is no good management in school.

Student5 (Girl): there are near about 50% girls, who appear in SLC examination every year. In my government’s schools, there are no facilities of toilet. In my schools, every girl becomes absent for 4-5 days in a months due to girls problem. There are no any female teachers in the school. We do not feel comfortable to share our problems.

Teacher 1: students do not focus on study. There are so many distracted such as TV, movies, net, mobiles etc. I am also in frustration in teaching profession due to laziness of the students towards the study.

Teacher 2: There is poor classroom delivery inside the class. However, the government claims that there are many trained teachers; the teachers do not show their professionalism.

Parent 1: it is very difficult to let children to study .our children are not interested to go in school. If they go to school, they do not focus on study, they go to play and miss the classes. I have seen many schoolchildren in the market, film halls and play ground in school days too.

Teacher 5: see the questions of SLC exam. Many questions are ambiguous and mistakes. I did not understand why they ask questions expecting wrong answers from the students. I know how the teachers correct he answer sheet, they do not see all the answers in details. Many teachers check 100 -120 answer sheet per day. Is it possible?  I did not like such. So, I stopped checking answer sheet from last year.

.Parent 5: Babu, I am illiterate. I have no any ideas .I did understand this. Why do many students failed? If I got chance to read, I would have passed. Now a days, students do not study , teachers are busy to carry the flags of political parties , parents don’t have time to see to their children , government provides salary to the teachers but do not see how teacher is going on.

Educationist 1: the present education system is failure. The government should immediately make a “National Education Board “, should study the problems and opportunities and launch the new curriculum.

Educationist 2:  the main reason for poor result in SLC is due to the inactive of “MOE” (Ministry of Education), MOE just provides teachers’ salary, and it neither monitors effectively, nor focuses on teacher education. MOE is unable to punish to the teacher who do not come schools regularly.  You might have heard about KHETALA TEACHER. In many villages, trained teachers themselves substitute another untrained teachers in his/ her place, gives half of the salary.

Overall Unfortunately failure is more common than success in SLC examinations. Among the factors , the lower performance of girls is a consequence of the differential and discriminatory treatment they get in society, both at home and at school. As in the case of females,. While most educators and policymakers recognize the importance of homework assignments in helping students to learn the subject matter, according to s.l.c study report (2005) sample data shown  that only 46% of the students are exposed to regular homework in their schools.Furthermore, the practice of assigning and grading homework regularly in less common in public schools than in private schools. Another reason is the government should not reduce its funding commitments to schools even as it moves towards handing the management of schools over to communities. The negative association between short-term training and student performance, student absenteeism primarily depends on student and family factors, the school’s policies also play an important role in encouraging regular attendance in school. More specifically, a strict attendance policy in school and regular interaction of the school’s staff with the students’ families can reduce absenteeism among students. a student’s personal and

home characteristics are at least as important as school factors in determining student

outcomes, the importance of the family’s economic status in determining student outcomes,it calls for the continuation and expansion of programs aimed at assisting financially weak

students.

                                                                                                Collected by:

                                                                                                Dilip Kumar Acharya