Nepal's Education Reform: Is Abolishing Exams the Right Path?

Nepal's school education system stands at a critical juncture. The newly formed government has sparked widespread debate by announcing the complete abolition of the internal examination system up to grade 5, starting from the next academic session, as part of its '100-point agenda for governance reform'.

While some hail this as a student-friendly, progressive step, others express concern that it may lower educational quality. The fundamental question remains: is abolishing the exam system the solution, or should the evaluation system be restructured to be more scientific?

Removing the examination system is not the solution; rather, restructuring the evaluation system in a scientific and psychological manner is the effective approach. Traditional exams often induce fear, stress, and rote learning in children, but if they are removed without a viable alternative, the quality of learning could deteriorate further.

According to the principle of formative assessment, evaluation is used as a tool to improve learning. It gives students the confidence to learn continuously in a fear-free environment and to grow by learning from mistakes.

• Psychological Impact of the Examination System

For primary-level children, the traditional exam system has become a source of mental pressure rather than a tool for learning. This system fosters a 'must not make mistakes' mindset through constant testing, comparison, and evaluation, leading to increased fear, insecurity, and anxiety about failure.

According to educational psychologist Jean Piaget, since children learn through experience, play, and exploration in their early developmental stages, formal exams and grade-centric evaluations hinder their natural learning process.

Therefore, children from grades 1 to 5 require experiential learning rather than paper-and-pencil exams. At this age, students are in a phase of learning primarily through direct experience, play, observation, and interaction. Piaget noted that children in the 'concrete operational' stage build understanding through real objects, activities, and experiences.

The government likely shares this concept, intending to replace written exams for young children with experiential assessments. However, sudden changes to established methods can impact educational quality.

• Evaluation: A Process That Goes Hand-in-Hand with Learning

Evaluation should not be measured solely by exams taken at specific times. It is a continuous process of observation, analysis, and improvement based on daily classroom activities, behavior, participation, effort, and progress.

This views learning as a life practice rather than a burden. In this framework, teachers evaluate students not just on final results, but on curiosity, questions asked, effort, mistakes, and the ability to learn from them. It transforms evaluation from a source of fear and pressure into a tool for support and guidance.

Successful global education systems have long shifted from exam-centric to learning-centric evaluation. Student assessment is not limited to marks but is based on holistic development, understanding, skills, and behavior. For instance, Finland has no high-stakes formal exams in primary grades; teachers assess progress through daily activities and observation.

This makes learning stress-free. Similarly, Singapore has adopted a competency-based evaluation system, emphasizing the practical application of knowledge. In Canada, evaluation is a tool for learning improvement, where teachers track progress through feedback, projects, and portfolios. These examples show that in effective systems, exams are not the ultimate goal but a means to make learning deep and meaningful.

• Policy and Practice in Nepal

The attempt to remove traditional exams up to grade 5 in Nepal is a positive sign of making the system child-friendly and modern. However, there is a risk that its effectiveness will be limited by the gap between policy and implementation.

While many schools accept the concept of continuous assessment, there is a lack of clear standards, tools, and trained human resources. This forces teachers to evaluate based on personal experience and guesswork, raising questions about fairness and reliability. Furthermore, parents remain trapped in the traditional mindset that views marks and grades as the primary indicators of learning.

Implementing a scientific evaluation system based on clear standards, evidence, and continuous observation can make the process objective, fair, and reliable. It is essential to make evaluation multidimensional, covering not just knowledge, but thinking capacity, problem-solving skills, behavior, collaboration, and creativity.

True learning is not limited to textbook information. A key aspect of a scientific system is evidence-based evaluation, utilizing student portfolios, projects, classroom activities, oral presentations, and daily performance records.

• What Next?

To make the policy of removing exams up to grade 5 effective, the most important step is to build a clear, scientific, and implementable evaluation system. This requires coordinated and responsible efforts from the government, schools, and teachers. First, the government must develop a national integrated evaluation framework.

This framework should provide clear direction on expected learning outcomes for grades 1-5, how to measure them, and what standards to use. Additionally, mandatory training, regular refresher programs, and an effective monitoring system for teachers must be established.

At the school level, clear schedules should be prepared to make evaluation transparent and evidence-based; student portfolios and progress records should be maintained, data managed through digital systems, and qualitative reports provided to parents regularly. This increases trust and accountability.

For teachers, developing skills to make evaluation fair, observation-based, and improvement-oriented is mandatory. This includes providing continuous feedback, respecting individual differences, and adapting teaching methods to keep learning at the center.

(Acharya is the Managing Director of Chaitanya Pathshala, Rapti.)