Editorial of THE KATHMANDU POST about the myopic vision of HSEB AUG 23 - Four months ago, the Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) released a ‘code of conduct’ for students. While there are many commendable points in the document that seek to maintain a proper academic environment, a few points have been controversial. The code forbids the use of mobile phones and laptops inside school compounds and bans students in school uniform from riding motorbikes anywhere. It decrees that uniforms are mandatory, with pants legs that are not narrower than 16 inches and skirts that have to reach two inches below the knee. ‘Fashionable’ belts are not allowed. Students are not even allowed to visit any hotel, restaurant, the cinema, park or shopping mall while in uniform. Any of these offences can earn disciplinary action and fines ranging from Rs 3,000-5,000. Students, understandably, are quite upset. Plus Two students from a number of schools held a protest on Wednesday outside of the HSEB office demanding that a number of the offending clauses be removed from the code of conduct. The Nepali education system—both private and public—has a number of problems, including a dated curriculum, incompetent teachers and a lack of infrastructure. Its problems, however, are not the use of mobile phones, motorbikes and short skirts. This kind of moral policing from authorities has been glimpsed before, as when the Nepal Police arrested some 700 youths back in February for sporting long hair and earrings. Students are citizens in their own right and are guaranteed certain inalienable civil liberties. Among the HSEB’s moralising rules, the ones that most infringe on rights are the ban on students riding motorcycles to school and using mobile phones and laptops inside school premises. The state has decreed 16 as the age at which one can legally operate a motorcycle or scooter. As most Plus Two students are 16 and above, the ban is an infringement on a right guaranteed by the state and by extension, an infringement on the freedom of movement. Additionally, in an increasingly digital age, it is impractical and myopic to ban cell phones and laptops from schools as they are becoming fast becoming indispensable to communication and information. Places that are supposed to be seats of learning for new ideas, liberalism and cutting-edge technology, our schools are instead trying hard to push back young people. The HSEB’s logic for issuing the code is to enforce discipline and prevent delinquency. While these are both worthy goals, they should not come at the cost of students’ rights and individuality. Young people, particularly older students with growing minds and ideas, do not like being dictated. Imposing moral values has never worked in the past; it has only led to rebellion and dissent. Values must be taught and inculcated through teaching and mentoring. The HSEB’s energies would be better spent providing teacher training programmes and evaluating curricula, not policing the length of skirts. It would thus be best for the HSEB to give concessions on its code of conduct. Such stringent rules will only provide room for abuse, prompt protests from genuine students and lead to needless disharmony.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 11:33:55 +0000
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