Sheikh Iraj

The results of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent exams were published on May 4. Compared to last year’s results, this year the average pass rate had dropped by 8 percent, which came as a surprise to many.
Some students, who did not achieve the results they had expected, have requested reexamination of their answer sheets. “I got GPA 4.88 in the SSC exams. I live in Mirpur and I studied at Siddhanta High School. In our SSC pre-test, I got GPA 5. So naturally, my family and I were shocked after seeing my results. I didn’t get the expected marks in religion. I have requested the education board to reevaluate my paper. After the reevaluation, if my grades don’t change, I will start preparing for college. My group was science for SSC, but I am thinking of changing to commerce group,” said Arman Hossain Rafi, 15.
This year, an average of 80.35 per cent of students in 10 education boards passed the SSC exams, while the percentage was 88.23 last year. Also, 5,000 fewer students secured GPA (grade point average) 5 this year.
According to recent news reports, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the drop in pass rate happened due to a new evaluation method of checking answer scripts, based on ‘model answers’.
“Teachers evaluated answer scripts following ‘model answers’ provided to them. This method was applied after three years of research. The previous marking system was faulty, but the new method will bring uniformity in marking answer scripts,” said a report in The Independent newspaper on May 5.
Besides students, parents or guardians also play a big role in an examinee’s preparation for examinations. Many parents go to great lengths to make sure their children receive the best education. Much like the students, many parents’ expectations are deeply associated with the result of exams.
Mohammad Badol Hossain, a pharmacist, works relentlessly to provide a good education for his only son. “My son didn’t get the grade we expected. My son got GPA 5 in the SSC pre-test, and we expected the same result in the SSC examinations. We are saddened by the outcome of the result, but it’s my son that I worry about. He has become quite depressed. He has requested the Dhaka Education Board to reevaluate his papers.”         
“For parents, there is nothing more blissful than seeing their children doing well in life. Today, the public examinations are of great importance to students and their families. For some parents, it has become a question of pride to see their children do well. Some parents are so driven by this madness that they force their children to take part in extra classes and tutoring,” said Monotosh Kumar, a school teacher, whose elder daughter secured GPA 5 in this year’s SSC exams.
“We are all happy with what our daughter has achieved and we hope she continues to perform like this in the future. I personally feel the pass rate has decreased due to two main reasons. The introduction of the new evaluation method is one, and I think it was high time we had a proper evaluation system. Also, this year the teachers and authorities were extra vigilant to stop any unfair means in the examinations,” Kumar added.
Explaining the new method of grading papers, S M Wahiduzzaman, director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Directorate, told Y&I: “Over the years we observed that grading of answer sheets changed from one examiner to another. We wanted to standardise the grading. After a lot of research, we took the decision to implement a new evaluation method of answer scripts based on model answers. The chief examiners passed on the information to their junior colleagues about the new evaluation method. It may be that the pass rate has dropped due to this, but we have been able to regulate the system by using this fresh method. I believe this new method has a lot of positive sides. Every education board evaluates its own development. The decline in the pass rate of Comilla board is something we are observing very closely. Besides their analysis, we will conduct our own investigation into the matter.”
Jyotirmoy Sen, a teacher at Siddhanta High School, said: “This year, for the first time individual marks in each subject and the total marks obtained by a student were published. Every year, the education boards around the country send written instructions on how to evaluate the answer papers. The written instructions used to encourage examiners to consider adding a few extra marks in case an examinee was set to fail the grade. This year, the instructions we received did not contain any such statement. In the past, no one knew if a student got GPA 5 scoring 700 or 900 marks. This is why we welcome the new step of disclosing individual marks in each subject and the total marks obtain by the students.”
According to statistics, the number of science students had been decreasing in the previous years, which is alarming. But it is good news that this year, the number has increased and the results are also satisfactory. This year, 422,155 science students appeared for the exams, an increase of 44,681 compared to the previous year, and 394,072 passed from this group. From the science group, 92,038 obtained GPA-5, which was 89,384 last year, and the pass percentage this year was 93.35. The pass percentage of the humanities and business studies groups are 73.38 and 80.21, respectively. Girls outshone boys by 0.85 per cent in the 10 education boards, but boys obtained more GPA 5, reports said.
Those who did well in the exams are now preparing themselves for college. Sadman Hossain Ryan, 15, who secured GPA 5 from science group, told Y&I: “I had to work really hard to achieve this result. I received a lot of support from my parents and relatives, especially from my grandmother. She always inspired me to study hard. I was always serious about my studies because I knew my parents expected me to do well, and I didn’t want to disappoint them. I was a student of Military Collegiate School, Khulna and I am going to attend the Adamjee Cantonment College in Dhaka. I wanted to study in this college and I am glad I got the admission. I didn’t have to seat for any admission tests in this college. I am thankful to my teachers who motivated me every step of the way. If I didn’t understand something, my teachers would explain it to me over and over again. My group was science and I will like to continue to study it.”     
Shrawsy Debnath Momo, 17, sat for the SSC examination from Monipur High School and College. She is preparing for college at the same institution. “For any student, the SSC examinations hold great significance. I obtained GPA 5 and I can’t explain the joy I experienced when I first learned about it. Both my parents are teachers, so in a way, everyone expected I will do well. I am taking admission at Monipur High School and College. It’s close to my house and I passed from its school section. I didn’t have any private tutors. I am grateful to my teachers for this. My teachers were so accommodating that I didn’t have to go to any tutoring centres.”
Mohammad Obaidullah, 15, got GPA 4.25 in this year’s SSC exams. “My father passed away a couple of years ago when I was in class nine. I come from a middle-class family and I didn’t have extra money to go to tutoring centres. My mother and my elder brother encouraged me to concentrate on my studies. I am happy with my grades. I took the exams from the science group and now I am planning to take admission at a technical college,” he said.
Although colleges are bound to admit students based on their SSC results, the High Court has allowed three popular colleges in Dhaka _ Holy Cross College, Notre Dame College and St Joseph College _ to take admission tests for admitting students, according to a news report published on May 16 in The Daily Ittefaq, a national Bangla daily.
Bipul Kumar Deb, a teacher at Notre Dame College, told this correspondent: “Like last year, we are hoping to hold an admission test. Every year, we receive a lot of applications from the students. Based on their GPA grades, we allow students to participate in a written test. Then based on the result of that test, we give admission to selected students.”
“Expect a few, most of the colleges in our country are not taking any admission tests. I personally feel there is no need to take an admission test. However, those colleges took permission from the court and now they have the right to organise admission tests. In our college, students get admission based on their GPA,” Shaharia Hossain, a teacher at Uttara High School and College, said.

Photos: File