KATHMANDU, Oct 24: Despite spending Rs 2.67 billion on teacher professional development over the past four years, Nepal continues to struggle to improve students’ learning outcomes, with national assessments revealing widespread gaps in basic skills, particularly in mathematics.
Although the government has been implementing various programs to enhance teachers’ professional capacity and improve students’ learning, the expected results have yet to materialize. Findings from the National Assessment of Student Achievement (NASA), conducted by the Education Review Office under the Ministry of Education and Sports, show that a large proportion of students continue to fall below minimum learning standards.
Only 22 percent of Grade 5 students assessed in mathematics achieved the minimum learning standard, meaning 78 percent failed to reach the required level, according to Laxmikumar Khadka, information officer at the Education Review Office. A score of 50 percent is considered the minimum learning benchmark.
The problem persists through secondary school. In the Grade 10 assessment, 60 percent of students fell below the minimum proficiency level in mathematics, 50.1 percent in science and 53.8 percent in Nepali. In English, 29.4 percent failed to meet the minimum standard.
The findings have raised questions about whether investments in teacher training and other educational programs are translating into meaningful improvements in classroom learning.
According to ministry spokesperson Shree Prasad Bhattarai, the government has invested Rs 2.67 billion in teacher professional development over the past four years. Most of these programs are implemented through provincial education training centers.
“Improving teachers’ professional capacity should naturally improve students’ learning outcomes. The goal of training is to equip teachers with updated knowledge, professional skills and teaching methods so that they can improve students’ learning in the classroom,” Bhattarai said.
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The Grade 5 national assessment conducted in 2022 also revealed significant weaknesses in foundational learning. The assessment covered 34,170 students from 1,800 schools across the country and evaluated their performance in mathematics, Nepali, English, and science and technology.
Only 51 percent of students achieved the minimum learning standard in Nepali, 53 percent in science and technology, and 44 percent in English. This means 49 percent of students fell below the benchmark in Nepali, 47 percent in science and technology, and 56 percent in English.
“The Grade 5 results show that students’ foundational learning is particularly weak in mathematics,” Khadka said. He warned that students’ failure to acquire expected skills in the early grades could affect their learning in higher grades.
The challenge is not limited to primary education. Students continue to struggle to meet minimum proficiency standards even as they approach the end of secondary school.
The Education Review Office conducted a national assessment of Grade 10 students in 2023, covering 43,219 students from 1,800 schools across 76 districts.
The results showed that 40 percent of students achieved the minimum proficiency level in mathematics, 49.9 percent in science, 70.6 percent in English and 46.2 percent in Nepali. Consequently, 60 percent of students fell below the minimum standard in mathematics, 50.1 percent in science, 29.4 percent in English and 53.8 percent in Nepali.
“The Grade 10 results show that learning outcomes in mathematics and Nepali are weaker than in English,” Khadka said. He noted that the fact that more than half of Grade 10 students failed to meet minimum proficiency standards in mathematics and Nepali raised questions about teaching methods, teacher preparation, the classroom learning environment and the effectiveness of programs designed to improve academic performance. He said an in-depth study was necessary.
The findings point to the need to assess teacher training, curriculum implementation, classroom teaching methods and school monitoring in relation to students’ actual learning outcomes.
Bhattarai said the government has been implementing various programs to strengthen teachers’ professional capacity, provide educational materials, improve school infrastructure and enhance student learning. However, he said a comparative study of expenditure and outcomes was necessary to determine how much these programs had improved students’ reading, writing and numeracy skills.
“Whether teachers change their teaching methods after training, whether struggling students receive additional learning support and whether schools regularly assess student learning are important questions,” he said.
According to Bhattarai, the revised Teacher Professional Development Framework and Teacher Competency Framework are expected to address the impact of training on teachers and support policy improvements.
He maintained that student learning outcomes had gradually improved across successive public assessments, although substantial gaps remained.
“Comparing the results of various public assessments shows that learning outcomes have gradually improved, but there is still considerable room for improvement,” he said. He added that continued investment in teacher professional development was important to help teachers adapt to changing teaching methods and provide students with updated knowledge and skills.
The ministry has also emphasized needs-based training programs and the use of information technology in teaching and learning to make teacher development more effective.
Khadka said NASA helps identify subjects and groups of students with weak performance. However, further research is needed to determine which government programs have been implemented to improve learning, how much has been spent on them and what changes have occurred in student achievement.
“The Education Review Office has been conducting specialized assessments of students’ learning outcomes, but the results do not indicate that student achievement has improved in proportion to government investment. The state needs to study where weaknesses exist in the system and the processes involved,” he said.
According to Khadka, 99 percent of teachers in public schools have received training. However, students’ average learning outcomes remain weak, highlighting a gap between investment and results.
“Expected learning outcomes cannot be achieved without improving investment strategies and implementation processes. The government must now conduct an in-depth study of training models, curricula and the effectiveness of investment, identify shortcomings and make necessary improvements,” he said.