A shocking number of students, at least 18,559, remained absent on Thursday, the first day of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Dakhil and Technical examinations.
This scenario prompts worries throughout Bangladesh's educational system.
Additionally, instances of misconduct led to the expulsion of several students and an examiner, as reported by the Control Rooms of the Ministry of Education.
In the General Education Board examinations, a total of 9,731 candidates were absent across nine education boards. This figure represents 0.69 percent of the total examinees, highlighting a concerning trend in student attendance.
Notably, the Dhaka Board experienced the highest absenteeism, with 2,345 students failing to appear for examinations. The Chattogram, Rajshahi, and Comilla boards also reported significant numbers of absences.
Moreover, six students were expelled for engaging in misconduct during the examinations. Shockingly, a room inspector from the Cumilla Board was also dismissed for violating examination regulations, underlining the severity of the situation.
Meanwhile, in the Madrasa Board examinations, 7,660 candidates were absent on the first day of the Dakhil exams, marking an absence rate of 3.08 percent. Seven individuals were expelled due to unfair practices.
Similarly, in the Technical Education Board exams, 1,168 candidates were absent from the SSC (vocational) and Dakhil (vocational) Bangla-2 examinations. Eleven students faced expulsion for misconduct.
The Control Rooms of the Ministry of Education have been actively monitoring the situation and providing updates on attendance and disciplinary actions. These reports shed light on the challenges faced by the education system in ensuring the smooth conduct of examinations and upholding the integrity of the evaluation process.
As the examinations progress, stakeholders are urged to address the root causes of absenteeism and misconduct to maintain the credibility and fairness of the assessment process, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities for success in their academic pursuits.
Professor Tapan Kumar Sarkar, the chairman of the Dhaka Board and the president of the Inter Education Board Coordination Committee, declared that the first day of the exam was satisfactory. Nobody reported any unfortunate incidents.
