SEE Result and the Current Debate on Nepal’s Education System
With the publication of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) results, a wave of admissions has surged across private schools. To attract students, some schools offering Grade 11 and 12 classes have introduced not only swimming pools and boxing clubs but even bars.
As schools showcase such facilities in a bid to draw attention, successful students find themselves caught in a competition, while those who failed are visibly stressed. The country’s real needs seem to be on one side, while public focus and policymaking are drifting in another direction.
The concerns surrounding the success and failure of the education sector do not appear to be headed in a constructive direction.
The Broader Purpose of Education
Education opens every door to a person’s future. As individuals realize their potential, society becomes stronger, leading to the formation of a civilized and developed community. A country whose citizens are enlightened by the light of education is the one that moves forward toward prosperity.
Countries aiming to open the doors of development invest heavily in strengthening their education systems. Even developed nations prioritize education to avoid losing their global standing.
Dreaming of national advancement without a proper education system is nothing but a fantasy.
Education Investment and Budget Gaps
In today’s world, no one misunderstands the importance of education. Especially those in power—who promise to transform the country and bring happiness to citizens—are expected to understand it better than the general public. Yet, Nepal’s education sector has not received the priority it deserves.
There is a global consensus that at least 20% of the national budget should be allocated to education. In Nepal, however, this figure consistently hovers around 10%. Two decades ago, it did reach 17%, but it has been decreasing since then. Moreover, even the investment that has been made has not yielded full returns.
Measuring Educational Outcomes through Exams
The results of the SEE and university exams are often used to gauge the effectiveness of Nepal’s education. Since students are distributed across different university programs, university exam results don’t gain as much public attention.
However, SEE results—where nearly half a million students appear at once—draw attention even from ordinary citizens. When only 48% passed the SEE last year, widespread criticism followed. Even the Prime Minister was compelled to respond.
Political Focus on SEE Results
During that time, public criticism from the Prime Minister toward school teachers made headlines. The tension between the PM and community school teachers resembled mutual accusations. Community schools became the target of criticism, especially concerning education quality.
This year, the PM had announced a goal of achieving at least a 70% pass rate. While that target wasn’t fully met, the results did show quantitative improvement compared to last year, with 62% of students passing. However, the reasons behind the improved numbers have sparked widespread commentary.
Skepticism and National Character
Even when results are positive, people tend to seek flaws; when they are negative, blame follows. Criticism—if constructive—helps preserve strengths and guide reforms.
However, blind support or opposition leads nowhere. The same balanced discussion is necessary regarding this year’s SEE results.
Possible Causes of Improvement
Last year’s poor results may have embarrassed many teachers. Being educated members of society, they likely felt a stronger urge to improve their own and their school’s performance. Since schools are now under local government responsibility, ward representatives may have increased their involvement, contributing to improvements.
Parents may also have become more engaged with teachers, influencing change. These factors may have helped raise SEE performance.
Revival of Community Schools
Some well-known community schools in Kathmandu once faced a student shortage. But thanks to the joint efforts of headteachers and teachers, some schools now require entrance exams for admission.
Similar stories are emerging from rural areas, where schools are reportedly full and turning students away.
These positive trends must be acknowledged, and schools still struggling with quality must be encouraged to improve.
Gaps Still Exist in the System
However, not all schools have improved. Many teachers still prioritize outdated practices or non-academic interests. Several schools have yet to improve classroom learning despite widespread criticism.
This sudden 24% increase in pass rate has led many education experts to express doubts.
Many who closely observe exams know that past malpractices still linger, making skepticism reasonable.
Exam Integrity Under Question
Given the PM’s public commitment to a higher pass rate, some wonder if leniency was applied in the checking of answer sheets. Others question whether the exam questions were overly easy.
Some even suspect that weak students were passed by adding marks. These are suspicions, of course, but unless thoroughly disproven, this year's results may appear questionable. In sensitive matters like this, both the state and society must pay close attention.
Who Is Responsible for Results?
The higher pass rate is not the result of the state alone—it requires joint effort from students, teachers, and parents. If student dedication, teacher effort, and parental involvement all increase, the pass rate naturally improves.
Education isn’t just about passing or failing—it’s about producing skilled, knowledgeable students. If a student doesn’t understand the basics of a subject despite passing, the result is useless and burdens society, the state, and the student.
Unanswered Questions Remain
With higher pass rates, the state celebrates, students smile, teachers feel proud, and parents feel accomplished. That’s understandable. But were questions leaked by elite schools? Did affluent schools with a record of 100% pass rates influence exam centers this year?
In rural exam centers, did parents help their children cheat? Did teachers themselves provide answers on blackboards in some centers? These suspicions arise with the sudden rise in pass rate, but they must be proven wrong. If any of these practices occurred, immediate reform is necessary.
Overshadowed by the Success Rate
In Kathmandu, 410 students scored a 4.0 GPA, while 971 did so nationwide. The 62% pass rate was widely discussed, but the 38% who failed—167,000 students—received little attention.
These students deserve the most support. The state, society, and education experts must focus on this group. They need encouragement, a supportive environment, and clear guidance for improvement in future exams.
The Neglected 38 Percent
The country always focuses on those who passed, often worrying about their future in Grades 11 and 12. Schools that produce high pass rates draw government attention.
Meanwhile, more concern is given to facilities in private schools than improving community schools. If Nepal truly wants to improve public education, it must focus on the students who didn’t pass. Their schools must be evaluated and improved.
The Way Forward: Focus on Failed Students
The government should assign education experts to study the conditions of failed students. Who are their parents? What is their home learning environment like? What are their family’s economic conditions?
What kind of schools do they attend? How many teachers are there? What is the quality of instruction? Answers to these questions are vital.
The government must create conditions for these students to receive proper education. Wealthier families can choose private schools, but those who can't need systemic support.
Real Focus: Learning Gap, Not Just Result Gap
The debate should not only be about pass vs fail but about the learning gap between passed and failed students. The real question is: how much more skill, knowledge, and creativity have passed students developed compared to those who failed?
After all, certificates can be obtained even through unethical means, and such certificates will only deceive in the future.
Final Thought
Achieving success in education is not impossible. It simply requires strong commitment from all levels of government. Eliminating political interference in schools and universities would itself significantly improve education quality.
We do not need to wait until Sunday for change—only sincere intent is required.
SEE