Mr. Tirtha Raj, the vice-chairman of the H.S.E.B. gives us his remarks on the introduction of the +2 system.

The functions of the H.S.E.B. are:

First and foremost, the Board is responsible for developing and revising curricula and textbook material, keeping in mind that the new method has to match up to the changing times and should be more in tune with the global trends. The next important role of the Board is to grant approval to schools and institutes for affiliation. After the applications make their way to the office, we send a team of expert for spot survey. The inspection criteria is judged on whether the school is viable or not, in terms of students, teachers, facilities, only then does the Board come to a decision. And the third job that's been assigned to us is conducting examinations and publishing results.

The immediate features that can be distinguished about the new curriculum:

Actually the education reform which we all are witnessing now was not designed to encourage a parallel system, i.e. the Intermediate and the Higher Secondary, simultaneously. Merging the intermediate level of studies as a part of the schooling education was primarily to allow Tribhuvan University more freedom to concentrate in other areas. As a consequence, the Bachelor's level too has been revised from only 2 years to 3 now, this again, complying to a more universal arrangement and also compatible to the new high school pattern. A sequential development, especially in the syllabus, is necessary to have a smooth flow from Intermediate to Bachelor's, so that by the time a student is ready for college after completing 12, he does have a fair idea about the next level of studies. Unlike the old system, we have avoided much disparity in the standard.

Reasons to favor this educational system:

The chief advantage would be the accessibility of higher education even in rural areas since the 10+2 system is characteristically more democratic. The distribution order is definitely more organized. Although it's hardly been over 9 years since we came into implementation we have already branched to 73 out of the 75 districts in the country. Until now focus was more in bigger towns, especially the capital, because of which many students had but no option to discontinue after S.L.C. but now the Higher Secondary pattern aims to make it possible for students to acquire higher education in their own surrounding. The present structure, I feel is also significant in guiding students make decisions about higher studies. First of all inculcating the proficiency level in the school curriculum means subjecting students to a more disciplinarian life. Since the Intermediate level is associated with the University, the leap from the school environment to campuses, is a big one and quite often having a negative impact on the students' mind.

For example when I go for rounds at the examination center these days, it gives me immense pleasure to see students, first of all uniforms do give a proper and seemly impression, appear for their exams in the most responsible way, which was not the case not so long ago. Exams being conducted on a timely basis is another attractiveness of the new curriculum, not that we are not free of structural problem. Since the central office is in Kathmandu and we have no other district offices, things can be quite problematic, yet we have not let that be a hindrance. Apart from this we have also made various other arrangements like reexamination, reevaluation and of recent rechecking, for students to complete their studies on time.

Would the Board be satisfied with the current status?

It's been 3 years since I joined this organization, during which we have developed a great deal especially, in securing a favorable institutional sector. I should say I am completely satisfied with how things are shaping out to be because when I started, impermanent staff which used to change each time the ministers changed, very few schools, almost negligible investment from the government and not to forget an office on rent. Now we have our own central building, permanent staff which needless to say is so essential to make successful any new reform, efficient equipment, and with 420 schools affiliated already, we hope to reach a figure of 500 by the end of the year. One area where I can direct my complaints is at the input by the government, which still needs a big boost. Somehow they fail to acknowledge its importance. There is a lot that still needs to be done to perfect the system and we hope to be able to do out best.

What the HSEB is aiming for, for many may seem a little too ambitious, however it has to be highlighted that it's been 72 whole years since the establishment of the first college in the country. Wouldn't you say its high time we did welcome some revisions? Prior to the founding of Tri-Chandra College in 1981, inaugurated as Tribhuvan-Chandra Intermediate College, the higher education scenario of Nepal was undefinable. There were only a few schools but there was no college. Having to engage out of the country professors to conduct classes was only one of the inconvenience seen at this stage since the college was shaped after the typical Indian system, affiliated to Patna University. A two years of intermediate level combined with another two years of bachelor's degree. Even so higher education was provided free of cost, with fairly small sized classes. Hence we can rightfully say that the founding of Tri-Chandra College built the base of higher education in the country. Long after, more colleges were established within and outside the Kathmandu Valley, all needless to say under the administration of the Tribhuvan University, the one and only university in Nepal until 1985.

Nevertheless like most things, the education pattern in the country too felt the urge to adopt to a more global design of learning, which is when the Higher Secondary System was conceived. The first phase of tertiary education, popularly called 10+2, has been integrated with the secondary school. Equivalent to the Proficiency Certificate or the Intermediate programme of instruction, the objective is to gradually shift from university campuses to secondary schools. Two immediate advantages that could be gained from the shift was that the Tribhuvan University could now concentrate on strengthening and enriching its Bachelor and Masters degree programs, while students were subjected to a broader sense of school period before embarking on a more career oriented studies at the college level. But again like Mr. Satya Raj Bhandari, whom I have to mention was most amiable in his aid to provide me with all the appropriate information, remarks that for the alteration to be completely achieved, there has to be a phase in (schools incorporating the +2) before the phase out (campuses eliminating the Intermediate level).