Kathmandu, April 16
The evaluation of Secondary Education Examination (SEE) answer sheets has been delayed due to ongoing protests by teachers and school staff. According to Examination Controller Ganesh Bhattarai, the answer sheets have already reached the evaluation centers, but teachers have yet to begin checking them.
“The answer sheets are at the evaluation centers. We are waiting for the teachers,” said Bhattarai. “Evaluating answer sheets is the responsibility of teachers—no one else can do it.”
Emphasising that students’ futures are tied to these answer sheets, he expressed hope that teachers would soon resume the evaluation process. “We believe the teachers will return soon,” he added.
This year’s SEE exams were held starting March 20. A total of 499,183 students participated—431,466 under the regular category and 67,715 under the grade improvement category. The National Examination Board had planned to publish the SEE results in the first week of July. However, due to delays in answer sheet evaluation caused by the protests, the result publication is now expected to be delayed as well.
The protests, led by the Teachers’ Federation, began on March 31 in Kathmandu, demanding the introduction of a teacher- and staff-friendly School Education Act. As part of the movement, teachers have been striking in schools, which has halted the new enrollment campaign in public schools. All academic activities, including the publication of annual exam results and the evaluation of SEE answer sheets, have been affected.
During a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday evening, the government urged protesting teachers to return to schools, expressing commitment to addressing their demands. The cabinet also decided to recommend the President convene the summer session of Parliament from April 24 to discuss and address the teachers’ demands.
However, the Teachers’ Federation remains firm on continuing the protest until the School Education Act is officially passed. Federation Vice-Chair and movement mobilization committee coordinator Nanumaya Parajuli questioned the government’s intent, saying, “They say they’ll pass the Act, but we don’t know if they will. They claim it could take another month and a half just to appoint the committee chair.”
Calling the movement decisive, the Federation has urged more teachers and staff to join the protest in Kathmandu and intensify the agitation.
