The concern over conducting Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations and publishing of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations still remains as the authorities concerned are yet to come up with a solution.
The HSC exams were scheduled to begin on April 11 while the results of SSC and equivalent exams were scheduled to be out early May.
But uncertainty appeared since the government shut all educational institutions across Bangladesh on March 16 amid the growing coronavirus outbreak.
“Primary and secondary classes are being aired on Sangshad Television but conducting the HSC examinations becomes the matter of concern,” Secondary and Higher education secretary Md Mahbub Hossain told Bangladesh Post.
They are working on how to hold the examinations and continue the academic activities, Mahbub added.Sources at the education ministry said the chairmen of the education boards discussed the HSC and SSC exams issues in videoconferencing with Secretary Mahbub last week.
The meeting decided that results of SSC and equivalent exams would be published within 15 days of communication returns to normal.
“Delay in SSC results would linger the admission of class XI with the HSC examinees awaiting the tests,” said Shahan Ara Begum, principal of Motijheel Ideal School and College in Dhaka.
“Hence, the university entry admission will be delayed. Besides, keeping institutions closed till September will make impossible to hold schools’ half-yearly examinations,” she added.
Nearly 13 lakh students under 10 education boards were expected to sit for the HSC and equivalent examinations at over 9,000 centers home and abroad.
Dhaka Education Board Chairman Ziaul Haque told Bangladesh Post that situations are not favourable to hold examinations as guardians and students are worried about the coronavirus.
“School will handle the half-yearly examinations. Students staying away from lessons will create a big problem to conduct the next public exams,” he added.
On March 16, the education ministry closed all educational institutions across Bangladesh till March 31 before extending the decision to May 5 in phases.
On Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hinted at keeping all educational institutions closed till September, if the coronavirus continues spread.