KATHMANDU: The inconsiderate decision of the Curriculum Development and Evaluation Council’s August 12 meeting has deprived more than 26,000 students aspiring to continue their education in Grade 11 quench their desire to get further knowledge.

The August 12 meeting of CDEC chaired by Giri Raj Mani Pokharel, the Minister for Education, Science and Technology decided not to let the students who got less than D+ in English, Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education Examination (SEE) 2020 get enrolled in Grade 11.

The National Education Board had recently published SEE result and declared that 4,72,072 students of Grade 10 passed the exam.

As per the Council’s new decision, getting D+ in English, Maths and Science is not enough to make them eligible for grade, they should get at least GPA 1.6.

There are around 26000 students who don’t meet both of the above criteria.

The student aspiring to pursue Grade 11 with Physics, Chemistry, Zoology and Maths should get both GPA 1.6 or above and C+ in English, Maths and Science.

It is remarkable that the government had decided to cancel the provision of marking Fail in the Grade Sheet since 2015. 99 technical schools had started mentioning Fail in the Marksheet/Gradesheet since 2014.

Educators and academicians have criticized the government decision and have demanded to amend it and ensure their right to education.

Citing the disturbance caused by coronavirus pandemic the Ministry of Education had directed NEB to seek alternative way of evaluation for promotion from Grade 10 to 11.

The NEB had asked the schools to upgrade the students on the basis of the internal evaluation maintained in the school.

Interestingly, many schools are found to have sent maximum grade mark GPA 4 this time raising concern about the fairness the schools can maintain provided they are asked to do so.