Five Nepali schoolgirls kill themselves after failing in exam

Kathmandu, June 16 (IANS) At least five teenaged girls have committed suicides in the last three days in Nepal after failing in their School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination, whose results were declared Wednesday evening, Xinhua reported Saturday.

A sixth girl who too attempted suicide, however, survived and is undergoing treatment in hospital.

Two girls, aged 15 and 18, died after consuming poison when they failed in their exams. Another 16-year-old, who also drank poison after learning that she failed in the exams, is receiving treatment in a hospital, according to media reports.

In the other incidents, three girls from Kathmandu hanged themselves to death following their failure in the SLC exam.

The SLC examination is one of the most important examination in the educational system of Nepal, which every student is required to undertake and clear for higher education.

Only about 47 percent students have passed the SLC exam this year, marking a decline of about 8.5 percent over the last year's pass percentage.