However, all is not well with these catchy advertisements. Scores of +2 schools and colleges have resorted to unscrupulous means to lure students, Republica and Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) have found. [break]
A number of +2 schools and colleges have falsely claimed to have secured cent per cent results and produced SLC toppers and high-scorers when they clearly have not.
False and illusory
Take for instance NASA International School, which claims that nearly four dozen SLC distinction holders have opted to join the school. In its advertisements, NASA featured Sweta Mahato, who secured 91.38 per cent in this year´ SLC exams. Sweta, however, has already joined another school.
Asked why they published such information, NASA´s Managing Director Narendra Adhikari said, “We had offered scholarship to Sweta. And she accepted it. I do not know why she chose another +2 school.”
Likewise, Capital College and Research Center (CCRC) of Kathmandu claimed that one of its students, Gagan Neupane, had topped HSEB exams by securing 89.60 per cent. When HSEB officials enquired, the response was that he was the college topper.
“The college presented Neupane as CCRC HSEB topper,” Bhawa Raj Koirala, Kathmandu office chief of HSEB, said, adding, “What does this mean? Will students not wrongly suppose Neupane to be the HSEB topper? All advertisements should be clear and unambiguous. This college has tried to hoodwink students by publishing an illusory advertisement.”
Baylor International School of Kavre published advertisements claiming to have secured cent per cent results in XII grade exams. However, of the 70 students who appeared in XII exams from Baylor, only 60 students actually passed out, HSEB inspection chief Jit Bahadur Chauhan told myrepublica.com.
Everest International College (EIC) of Kalimati claimed 100 per cent success in humanities, 99 per cent in management and 95 per cent result in science. According to HSEB, EIC secured overall only 40.82 per cent success in the three streams combined.
HSEB wakes up
Albeit late, HSEB has woken up to unscrupulous ways of promoting +2 schools and colleges. It has asked clarifications from six +2 schools and colleges for publishing false information about their pass percentage and students.
According to HSEB´s Koirala, apart from NASA and Capital College, Guinness International School, Morgan International College, Universal College and Caribbean College have been asked to furnish clarification to HSEB. “If we are not satisfied with their clarifications, we will take action against them,” Koirala said.
Koirala also accused a majority of +2 schools and colleges of "cheating" students by flaunting "non-existent well-equipped labs, libraries" and other facilities in advertisements. “You can not see modern labs and libraries as advertised when you visit many +2 schools and colleges,” he said. “We are looking into it as well.”
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