COVID-19 and the SEE

By Adarsha Acharya

I am one of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) appearing students of Nepal. From the dawn of the session, I was told it’s mandatory as it decides a career. I and my friends were very thrilled from the very first day of grade ten and we were very perturbed about our studies and how are we going to draw up ourselves to give the examination.

I wasn’t used to taking tuitions or joining hostel to acquire additional assistance for my studies before but since this year was the SEE, I decided to join one of those institutes for tuition class where I was accompanied by my friends. We studied day and night with the aim of securing good grades in the board exam. As the exam dates closed, we started hearing the COVID-19, also commonly known as noble coronavirus, have started in China and deaths rolls were escalating. Progressively, it had spread globally generating prodigious depletion of human lives. Nepal being one of its neighboring countries was exceedingly in the chance of being an upcoming host country but this wasn’t the case till that date. This new pandemic was emerging and was a huge concern for all of us. I vividly remember talking to my friends during the spare time about this virus that not even a single case was found in Nepal although WHO had listed Nepal as a risk zone and could be dreadfully affected. Furthermore, we were distressed as both of our neighboring countries China and India were affected and our country may also be listed on strained countries.

We were firmly intended in attending the SEE, and just a week before the examinations, we went to our academy with electrifying faces to accept our entry cards. As the final exams of all the classes (till grade 9) were pronounced to be held before the scheduled time, I thought our exams might also be held at an earlier date but news arrived that the SEE will be conducted as per the routine.

A day before the SEE, my dad, to my surprise, came to the institute in the evening where I was preparing the examination of English subject—examination of English is normally held on the first day. Quietly, my dad called me outside and said, “Your SEE examination has been postponed”. I was utterly astounded. Then I conveyed the message to my class where my friends were also wholly shocked. For a time being, they could not believe me. I came home and chattered with my friends. They all were psychologically sickled.

A week later, the Government of Nepal tended to lockdown (which is in effect since March 24) the entire nation hours after the second coronavirus case was detected in the country. Firstly, the government proclaimed to enforce the lockdown for a week. Then unhurriedly and moderately in the upcoming days, the containment locking was increased. And it is continued till today. Due to the lockdown, all the educational institutes have been shut down. And in this censorious time, the government has not taken any exact decision towards the SEE till now. In regard to this paramount issue, many exhortations have been out. There were even times that we heard the SEE could be dropped, and the SEE appearing students would be provided a certificate without the exam. Even PABSON says, “That the government can print the result according to the previous PABSON exam as it would be the finest solution at this time”.

Because of the pandemic, the world situation seems to be dread and so are the students. The news agencies have the prime concern for the coronavirus. The daily news which is published is intimidation for mankind. It mostly affected us. Child psychology is haphazardly contrived. The anxiety of the virus fears is cooking in our brain. Our whole attentiveness is now on how to shield from the virus. There is no suitable environment for continuing our study. We are not evolved to handle the future and life together so early. Talking about the education faculty, the most popular finals is the SEE. No matter how prominent, the thesis is no consequences. At the moment students are disquieted about their studies as we don’t want to let go of our one year. There are worries if we are not able to give the SEE exam, what will happen to our further education. No wonder giving exams is essential for students but maintaining social distancing and other precautions to keep away the virus is not helping the students at all. To not affect the student psychology any more now, the SEE examination procedure should be commenced. The government should change the traditional way of taking the SEE examination and implement the contemporary course of feasible.

In this crucial period, the deadly virus has spread across the world, and the cases are surging in Nepal every day with already over 1200 confirmed cases and six deaths as of May 30. As we try not to catch the virus, we are also worried about our future. And it is the major concern of every student today. What will happen if we are not fortunate to appear in the SEE? What about our future? What back up plans the government has made to the SEE giving students? The concerns of the students should be immediately addressed by the government and also should assure the students regarding the SEE modality.