An uncertainty has loomed over the annual Class 12 exams as the ongoing movement launched by the Nepal Teachers' Federation across the country has continued persistently.
The National Examination Board (NEB) has announced that the Class 12 annual examinations will begin on April 24. The board has prepared to conduct regular and partial examinations for general, traditional, and technical streams from April 24 to May 7.
However, community school teachers across the country have been protesting in Kathmandu for the past 19 days. Due to this, it is uncertain whether the exams will be held as scheduled, leaving students and parents worried.
Teachers led by the National Teachers' Federation (NTF) have been demonstrating daily at Maitighar for the past three weeks and have also announced not to participate in the examinations.
The federation has also stated that they will not stop the protest until there is a credible basis for the enactment of the School Education Bill, 2080.
Meanwhile, the NEB had issued a notice last Friday stating that the Class 12 examinations would be conducted as scheduled. Since then, the Board has remained silent. Repeated attempts to contact the NEB chairman, Mahashram Sharma, were unsuccessful.
Amidst this protest, multiple rounds of talks have taken place between government representatives, including the Prime Minister, and officials of the federation, but no conclusion has been reached. This has further increased uncertainty regarding the exams.
Even if the teachers call off their protest right away, not enough time is left for preparations to conduct the Class 12 exams.
The Ministry of Education has also not given a concrete response on this matter.
Ashesh Pokharel, the personal secretary to the Education Minister, said that a decision regarding the Class 12 exams would be reached by this evening. "The exams will not be canceled. They might be postponed by a few days," he told Nepalkhabar, "Discussions are ongoing on how to proceed with the Class 12 exams. Some conclusion will be reached by this evening."
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