Schools have reopened for the 2025 academic session, with students advancing to higher classes. However, in Samtse, several students, especially those who sat for and failed the common and board exams, will be repeating the same grades. According to BCSEA’s recently released Student’s Performance Report 2024, Class 6 and Class 10 students from Samtse have performed poorly, ranking among the lowest in the country across multiple subjects. School authorities and caregivers attribute the poor performance to a shortage of teachers and inadequate learning infrastructure.
One of the most striking cases is observed at Nangladang Primary School in Norbugang Gewog, where 20 out of 27 Class 6 students failed their common examinations.
The school was recently upgraded to include Class 6 students who appeared in the national common examinations for the first time last year.
However, this upgradation milestone was overshadowed by disappointing results, as most students struggled to meet the pass marks in key subjects like Mathematics, English, Dzongkha, and ICT.
“We’ve seen many teachers coming and going, which has likely disrupted the children’s studies. The school is facing a shortage of teachers,” said Karna Bdr Ghalley, a resident of Nangladang.
Krishna Bdr Ghalley, another resident said, “Our children who failed are disappointed and have left to look for other opportunities. We’re unsure if they’ll continue their education. We’re hopeful that a parents-teacher meeting will help find a solution.”
“My daughter will be in Class 6 this year, and after seeing this year’s results, I’m worried as a parent. If there aren’t enough teachers, our children might face the same struggles,” said Nim Lham Lepcha, a resident.
The Nangladang School Administration pointed out weak foundational learning, with many students being repeaters or dropouts from nearby villages, as well as inadequate infrastructure as contributing factors to the poor performance.
The 2024 Student’s Performance Report for Class 6 shows that Samtse District underperformed compared to other districts and thromdes in the country. The district’s mean scores in Dzongkha, English, Mathematics, and ICT were all below the national average.
The results in ICT were particularly concerning, with nearly 500 students failing. Mathematics also showed a troubling trend, as only 77 per cent of students passed, leaving 281 behind. While English had a higher pass rate, 131 students still fell short of the required marks. Dzongkha’s performance was equally poor, with 218 students failing the subject.
Class 10 students in Samtse faced similar challenges. At Tashithang Middle Secondary School in Tading Gewog, 85 out of 101 students failed their board exams, while Sherabgatshel Middle Secondary School in Norgaygang Gewog saw 37 students failing the exam. Both schools, newly upgraded to include Class 10, had their students sit for board exams for the first time last year.
Tendruk Central School also reported 57 students failing, and Yoeseltse Higher Secondary School had 23 out of 40 students unable to meet the pass mark.
According to Tashithang Middle Secondary School Administration, the shortage of teachers, especially for subjects like Mathematics, ICT, and Science, affected the student’s academic performance
They reported not having teachers for these subjects for months, while Sherabgatshel Middle Secondary School noted that many students who failed were repeaters with weak academic backgrounds.
The Samtse District Education Sector acknowledged the concerning report, noting that while the exact causes are difficult to determine, feedback from schools point to several contributing factors.
These include low student interest, a shortage of teachers, inadequate facilities, and poor internet connectivity. Additionally, officials cited the large student population as a challenge in maintaining quality education.
As of 2024, Samtse has over 13,300 students enrolled in more than 40 schools across the district.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
