The past two weeks have been filled with joy, laughter, and a sense of pride. We had a Family celebration where we got together to offer 'sa:ga' to my son. It is a Newar way to honour achievements. My son had completed his Secondary Education Examination (SEE), formerly known as the School Leaving Certificate (SLC). And my family visited us to congratulate and give blessings. For generations, this exam has held a near-mythical status in Nepal, often referred to as the “iron gate.” I always hated it when someone said SLC as an iron gate. It was an overrated and hyperbolised, either to scare or to overpraise the success. Now it has been renamed as SEE, the grading system has been changed, but the whole system remains the same. Behind all the shortfalls of bureaucracy and the education system, the cultural symbolic importance of SLC (SEE) remains strong; the achievement to be celebrated, no matter how small. It makes perfect sense. In the past, passing the SLC wasn’t just...
Monologue .......