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CRAMMING FOR THE SLCS

In a race to pass the School Leaving Certificate Examinations in April, students in Sindhupalchok move out and live on their own in dilapidated rooms to concentrate solely on revision.

By Cynthia Choo

February 25^th, 2015

Every April, almost half a million Grade Ten students all over Nepal take the School Leaving Certificate (S.L.C.) Examinations. Last year, about 44 per cent of all students nationwide passed but in public schools the passing rate is only 28 per cent. In rural village schools like Shree Nawalpur Secondary School in Sindhupalchok, the percentage is even lower.

However, the dismal passing rate has not stopped some students from Nawalpur Secondary from studying hard to pass the SLCs. For them, passing is the only plausible route to higher education, or a better life outside the village.

In a race to pass the SLCs, some students have moved out of their homes to live in crammed rooms or “hostels” near their school so they can attend extra classes, spend less time travelling to school, receive tuition and be relieved from household chores back home.

Butt, space: The bed doubles up as a study desk for students to complete their homework.

One of them is Sunita Tamang. Sunita shares an approximately 80 square feet room with two other students from the same school. Three other students share a room the same size opposite the narrow hallway.

But living and studying conditions in these rooms are barely optimal. Their rooms are a kitchen, study space and bedroom all in one. Sunita’s room used to be infested with rats before she moved in.

“Once we were up all night because when we slept, the rats would chew at our hair,” she said.

There are no bookshelves in Sunita's room. Her bag and textbooks are laid out on the floor instead.

Worksheets stuffed between the crevices of Sunita's clothes hanger.

Girl, student: Worksheets and a calculator lay beside some female beauty products belonging to Sumita and her friends.

“It is difficult to cook, do the laundry, wash dishes and on top of that go to school and study for the SLCs all on our own,” said Sunita. Her days are jam-packed with supplementary lessons, tuition and school starting from 5am to 1am in the morning.

“I stay up late to study but sometimes the landlord doesn’t allow us to turn on the lights because she thinks it wastes electricity,” Sunita said. During those occasions, Sunita studies with a candle light instead.

Sunita's timetable: Her day is packed with supplementary classes, tuition and school in the lead up the SLCs in April.

Sunita notes down mathematical formulas on a sheet of paper on the wall.

“I am annoyed that the room is crammed but I have no choice,” said Sunita.

“I either stay here or travel two hours to and from school every day.” She added: “At home, I also have to help with housework and sometimes help out in the field.”

On top of the crammed living spaces, the costs of living on their own is expensive for students like Sunita, whose parents are farmers. The rent costs 1200 Rs a month, while food costs Sunita and her friends approximately 5000 Rs a month.

Despite the difficulties she faced since moving out, Sunita still feels like being on her own has “helped her concentrate in her studies better”.

Before she moved out, Sunita used to fail in all three compulsory subjects — English, Math and Science. She has since managed to pass Math and Science in the recent send-ups but is still struggling to pass English.

“This is not where I am going to stay forever. When I pass the SLCs I wish to go to Kathmandu to study to become a nurse,” Sunita said.

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