Sponsoring Further Education (FE) Students
The Situation
The first 10 years of primary and secondary education in Nepal concludes with the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) Examination which is required for admission to the upper secondary level. Upper secondary schooling is a further two years (Year 11 and 12), which is undertaken within the school system or through a similar certificate program offered at universities. This concludes with the Higher Secondary Education Board Certificate which provides access to university studies, in addition to a range of vocational training programs.
Further Education Defined
Subjects for higher secondary education are offered in Science, Management, Humanities and Education with Science and Management the most popular.
The Nepalese Ministry of Education figures for pass rates in the SLC, taken at the end of grade 10, show a steadily increasing number of students qualifying for higher secondary studies, which in turn suggests an increasing pipeline of university-ready students. In 2006, 113,020 students passed the SLC (38 percent pass rate) and this jumped to 259,916 successful candidates in 2010 (62 percent pass rate).
The Charity defines Further Education (FE) as Years 11 and 12 and college/university education.
Why help is needed
Demand for Further Education
The demand for further education has grown significantly and access to education at all levels has widened significantly in Nepal over the last two decades. However, the education sector as a whole continues to face problems related to underfunding, lack of quality and politicization. Furthermore, about 1% of Nepal’s population are estimated to leave the country every year for better schooling and this is a severe blow to education. The Government is working to address these issues, but progress is often slow.
How we help
The Further Education Fund
Every year the Principal proposes to the Charity suitable candidates who require extra funding for their further education. Further Education grants usually run between two and five years depending on the subject.
Typical subjects studied are Science, Management, Finance, Engineering, Social Science and Information Technology.
Years 11 and 12 at St Xavier’s Godavari
In 2018 St Xavier’s School, Godavari introduced a programme for Year 11 and Year 12 classes in Science and Management. This was a significant step in upgrading and extending the School’s curriculum. It was also a good boost to the morale of the Further Education students, many of whom do not now have to travel to Kathmandu or other parts of the country to further their education. Many of the sponsored FE students are studying Years 11 and 12 at the school.
As part of the FE sponsorship application the students are asked to suggest ways in which they can “pay forward” for their grant, for example, this may be voluntary work at the school or offering financial grants to students when they are in full employment.
How you can help
We invite you to contribute to the central Further Education Fund where grants are allocated to students who meet the selection criteria according to the nature of their further education course. These students must be both academically able and from an economically & socially disadvantaged background and hence in need of financial support.
One Further Education Student writes of her aspirations:
“With an aim of being a doctor, I am going on with my studies up to my optimum ability. Being a doctor, I will open health servicing institution through which, I will work my level best to provide proper health services usually in the poorer and rural part of the country. Providing health services to the women and orphans will be my first priority.”
A Further Education student writes about “Paying foward”:
“I have already implemented my plan in order to pay forward for the scholarship. I have been volunteering at the school in the past as well, when I was in grade 9. I helped with the after-school tuition classes. After I graduated from St Xavier’s Godavari, I volunteered for 2 months in the school helping with classes and office. After I complete my high school, I again volunteered in the school library. I won’t hesitate to volunteer in school. I will gladly come forward to help the school and needy people whenever necessary.”
