Preparations are being made to ask open-ended questions to school-level students. According to Curriculum Development Center Director General Imanarayan Shrestha, discussions are underway. The center is also preparing to create a curriculum and evaluation criteria.
"Three hours of examination alone is not sufficient. We are doing homework on asking open-ended questions to students," he said. "It is not just about book knowledge; we aim to develop additional capabilities. Open-ended questions do not have a single answer. Students can present their arguments as they see fit."
Shrestha mentioned that they are trying to develop students' critical thinking skills.
Educationist Dr. Vidyanath Koirala has been advocating using open-ended questions in classrooms. He raised this topic, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. "At that time, many questioned whether it was possible. Now, preparations are underway to implement it, which is good," Koirala said.
Koirala also mentioned that some schools in Dhading have been asking open-ended questions, which has been effective.
However, he sees challenges in designing the questions. "If a child milks a buffalo at home, what did they understand? What did they learn about science, mathematics, and economics? Questions should be asked to find this out," he said. He argues that parents also need to understand this. "Questions should not be the type that students memorize, but rather those that they explore and inquire," he said.
