The employees of Kohalpur Municipality's Education Department are under investigation for alleged widespread irregularities in the publication of Class 8 exam results. This incident has gained national attention, prompting action from various municipalities across the country.
Following allegations of irregularities in result publication, a probe committee was formed under the coordination of municipality council member Birendra Kumar Shah on Chaitra 25th. The committee included members Ram Prasad Chapagain (Nepal Teachers' Association, Kohalpur), B.L. Bharti (Krisha Kohalpur), Sumitra Neupane (Pragya Janajyoti Higher Secondary School, Chapargaudi), with the Chief of Municipal Police, Bir Bahadur Thapa, as the secretary.
After the investigation, a report was made public. Based on this, Ram Bahadur Hamala, the head of the Education Department of Kohalpur Municipality, was transferred from his duties, Education Department officer Ravi Lal Mijar was suspended, Education Department assistant Bal Bahadur Nepali faced departmental action, and office assistant Bharat Tharu also faced action.
From Chaitra 2nd to the 9th, a total of 2,811 students from 52 schools participated in the Class 8 exams conducted. Of them, 69.87% from institutional and 14.80% from community schools passed, resulting in an overall pass rate of 38.34%. Those with insufficient scores were to face disciplinary actions for irregularities.
During the probe, it was found that various school examiners altered their students' answer sheets, exchanged them with other schools' answer sheets, inflated marks beyond the students' actual scores, and even altered the total scores. Some questions were given marks at two places, and students who failed received higher marks by manipulation.
The report mentioned, "During the examination process, school examiners from various schools had checked their students' answer sheets by themselves. Some even checked answer sheets of other schools, increased marks improperly, and increased the overall marks by falsifying the answer sheets. Such acts are considered violations of prevailing laws, rules, and regulations."
The report also highlighted instances where Kohalpur City Academy's operator, Prashant Rijal, was involved in collusion with the head of the examination department of the municipality, creating duplicate answer sheets, and aiding in writing the answer sheets for four students from his school. When questioned for cross-verification and collaboration in writing and editing the answer sheets, Romina Khatri, who assisted in writing and editing, was not present, and was thus found guilty.
Kohalpur City Academy's female teacher, Hira KC, admitted to writing her students' answer sheets herself and confessed to entering incorrect numbers in the computer. Thus, she was also found to be involved in the irregularities as per the investigation report.
The report concluded that disciplinary actions will be taken against those found guilty, as pledged by Mayor Purna Acharya in the public announcement of the report.
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