Buddhi Sagar, Writer
SLC batch BS 2055, Pancha Dewal Higher Secondary in Kalikot
Quality education wasn’t my school’s strong suit. When the SLC exams came around, we were more interested in acquiring question papers from the teachers. They provided us with a list of expected questions and we worked on preparing answer chits for them. I think we spent around three months doing just that and studying very less. This is how I passed with second division. But this actually hampered my studies because when I came to Kathmandu and joined RR Campus, I found it difficult to study or perform well.
The new SLC system is good for the country, I believe. The quality of education varies in different regions of Nepal. I know for a fact that this examination holds a great value in society.
If a student fails the SLC exams, it brings shame upon the family. Conversely, a family’s social prestige rises if their child gets a good place in the examination.
I hope the young generation will realize the importance of pursuing their passion and not focusing on great marks alone.
Govt's failure to choose NEB chair may delay next SLC exam
Reema Bishworkma
SLC was a big deal and our school had made it compulsory for all Class 10 students to stay in the school hostel for two months before the big exam. Strict rules were set. The alarm would go off at 5 am sharp every morning and tardiness wasn’t tolerated at all. As I was a lazy student, I would still be in bed while all my friends got ready to leave for class. Also, I never believed in rote learning. That’s why I wasn’t good in Science and Maths because I just couldn’t learn the many theories, theorems and formulas by heart. But then I always topped class in subjects like Social Studies where understanding and logic mattered more.
I got through the iron gate with first division, but I don’t think my score has made any significant difference in my life. Since I had already started working while at school, I knew what I wanted to pursue in life and I always focused on gaining practical knowledge and participating in trainings to prepare myself for a career in television instead of making it the goal of my life to score certain marks in SLC. I’m glad that the government has declared plus 2 as part of school-level education. If not anything, this will encourage students to pursue at least two more years of education before getting through the iron-gate.
Deepika Shrestha, Co-owner, Pack My Lunch
SLC batch BS 2057, St Mary’s High School in Lalitpur
I wanted to study Science after SLC, so I was really serious about scoring first division in the final exams. While my father was chill, my mother would often subtly remind me how important it was for me to pass with first division if I were to realize my dream of becoming a dentist. Pressure from our teachers to put in all of our effort in preparing for the exam was immense, to say the least. However, although I did pass with first division, I don’t think it played any role to ‘define’ my life. I chose to study A-Level after SLC and changed my mind about becoming a dentist.
I have never liked this whole hype surrounding the SLC exams. Still in their teens, Class 10 students are too naïve and the curriculum too generic for SLC to determine their life course. I’m happy with the newly introduced grade system, but of course it will still take Nepalis a few years to adjust with this system and not try to convert their grades into percentage. Likewise, labeling education up to plus 2 as school level is a good decision because those who’ve passed plus 2 can generally determine the course of their lives and conducting SLC exams in Class 12 will encourage more students to pass that ‘hurdle.’
Tikaram Kafle, HoD-Mathematics, All Nepal College of Technical Education
SLC batch BS 2045, Nirmal Jana Sewa Higher Secondary in Parbat
Our teachers still had quite a few chapters from different subjects to cover when the SLC examinations came around. Students were mostly left to their own devices but we didn’t have guide papers or questions banks. I studied quite diligently on my own, starting with regular morning study and homework. I focused a great deal on Mathematics. I’m thankful to my school principal who was a great English teacher. He is the one who taught me most of what I know of the language. I passed with second division and I can firmly say that I worked very hard for it. My son sat for the grade 10 exams this year and he received a GPA of 3.75. I think the new system has its pros and cons. While it is good for the psychology of young people, I just hope it doesn’t strip them of the tendency to work hard.
Hari Sharan Lamichhane, News Chief at Avenues Television
SLC batch BS 2038, AVM Higher Secondary School in Lalitpur
I passed my SLC examinations with first division. I was very good in all subjects except for Mathematics. I remember my school principal warning me about taking the subject seriously otherwise I would not do well in the sent-up exams. Thereafter, I focused more on maths and I didn’t even go home during the holidays but stayed behind in the hostel and practiced mathematical problems day and night. I scored 99 marks in Mathematics in the SLC exams which helped me score first division. I cannot say that my SLC marks have helped me in my career but it did help me choose a better college. The new grading system and the fact that the dreaded SLC exams will no longer be held at the end of class 10 is not too bad, I think. It just shows how times have changed. But at the same time, I feel students and their guardians are very much confused about the whole system.
