A New Beginning: It is time to look at the brighter side and move on

Until last year, most of the SLC appeared used to have a readymade plan for further study. The students would join bridge course and appear in the admission entrance exam in the preferred college and faculty as soon as the board exam result got published.

But this time, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake of April 25 and its strong aftershocks quite confused the students. Many of them who were in the capital just for schooling left for their villages. Within 72 hours of the major jolt, over 1 million people had left the city in fear of more powerful tremors and things were in disarray.

However, that too, is a thing of the past now. With the tremors gradually subsiding and Kathmandu getting back to normalcy in all aspects, most of the students have already returned to Kathmandu. As people are regaining momentum in the capital, the spirit of the Higher Secondary Schools (HSS) and plus two colleges is at high, too. The recent SLC results have put them even in rush as they need to welcome thousands of aspiring students.

Among total of 405,338 students to appear in the SLC examination under regular category, 192,267 pass outs are now seeking admission in best colleges.

According to the colleges and higher secondary schools in the capital, it is time to look at the brighter side and move on. As Kathmandu is intact and safe to carry out its normal business, the new graduates should never let the memories of earthquake affect their zeal. 'We are safe and open', owners roar.

Among 500 HSS and colleges registered in the valley, seven had been completely damaged due to the quake. Similarly, 25 others were tagged incapable to run classes following the major damage, according to Ram Hari Silwal Chairperson of Kathmandu Higher Secondary School Association in Nepal. Thirty of the HSS and colleges have either gone through reparation or shifted to new building after quake as to ensure safety. "Anyway, we have ensured safety in the colleges that is to be run," he said.

Founder of Kathmandu Valley College Swagat Shrestha meanwhile said that students and parents are no less concerned about the safety matters. He said that students and parents coming to his college had thoroughly checked the infrastructures and availability of open spaces and were satisfied.

"We are receiving the encouraging number of students from outside the Valley, it is our responsibility to ensure their safety when they are in college," Shrestha said.

After returning from his visit 35 quake affected districts, HISSAN's Vice Chair Ramesh Silwal is quite confident to see far more number of students than the earlier estimation of the association.

HISSAN had estimated that the valley-based institutions might see 15 to 20 percent of decline in the number of students compared to previous years. But Silwal found that the students are packing up their bags to come to Kathmandu. "The difference is only that they are taking time," said Silwal.

To make the higher education accessible in the best institutions for the students, HISSAN has decided to strictly monitor the implantation of the education policies.

Normally, a science faculty student has to spend Rs 40,000 to 55,000 at average at grade 11. The amount is even less for Management faculty where students have to pay Rs 25,000 to 40,000 for the first level. For Humanities, only Rs 20, 000 to 30,000 is required per student annually. Most of the colleges will start providing entrance exam form for admission by next week, the association has stated.

Sixty percent students of Valley-based colleges are from inside whereas 40 percent of them come from across the country. Till last year, around 100,000 students used to enroll in valley-based colleges with 40 percent of share of the out of valley students, shows the HISSAN estimation.

In the wake of the massive devastation, the colleges are also looking for the ways to connect higher education with various types of disaster management courses.

Remarkably, even though they were never trained, the SLC appeared students did their best by constructing toilets, maintaining sanitation, volunteering the health aid team and also in building the makeshifts post disaster. There is an urgent need to recognize their potential and expand Nepal's higher education to prepare the skilled human resource for tomorrow, the Higher Education Board (HSEB) and college owners stress.

"It is high time to overview higher education and disaster from various angles so that we are up with arms when another calamity strikes," said HSEB Vice Chairperson Chaitanya Prasad Sharma.