S M Mizanur Rahman :
Question papers leakage in competitive public examinations will continue unless the syndicates involved with such crimes are punished, say academics.
The academics urged the government to create an example by awarding exemplary punishment to those who leak out question papers. Otherwise, the situation will take a serious turn, they warned.
“As the culprits in general escape punishment for lack of sufficient evidence, they continue their evil work,” Serajul Islam Choudhury, littérateur and Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University told The New Nation on Friday
Though some of them are in jails, masterminds always remain untouched.
“They get protection and patronage of the crime syndicates maintaining unholy alliance with a band of corrupt government officials of education boards, BG press as well as local administrations,” he said.
There are allegations that question papers of almost all examinations namely primary school certificate (PSC), junior school certificate (JSC),
secondary school certificate (SSC) and higher secondary school certificate (HSC) had been ‘leaked’ and were available on social media websites and SMS before the examinations.
The academics said the candidates of PSC, JSC, SSC and HSC become very much active and keep their eyes and ears open to contact the right person to get question just before their examinations.
According to a recent study, officials of primary education directorate, education boards, BG Press as well as local administrations have reportedly been involved with question paper leakage incidents.
It also found that student wings of ruling party, coaching centres, guidebook traders, photocopy shops, coaching centres, applicants and sometimes guardians play active role in circulating the leaked question papers.
“Frequent question papers leakage in competitive public examinations is destroying main structure of education, posing a threat to merit based quality education and frustrating the meritorious students as well guardians,” SM Hafizur Rahman, professor of Institute of Education and Research of Dhaka, told The New Nation on Friday
“As national academy for primary education and BG press are responsible for preparing and printing the question papers, their employees might have been involved with question papers leakage,” a highly placed source told The New Nation
But the education ministry and other concerned officials assigned to hold public examinations are failing to hold fair examinations and detecting the masterminds of the question papers leakage.
Talking to The New Nation on Friday, Controller of Examinations Mohammad Shamsul Kalam Azad of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rajshahi said, there is no chance of leaking question papers from the board.
Replying to a query about question, he said, after setting questions papers, these are modernised by the moderators and the moderators select four sets of question papers for each subject.
“Later all chairmen of the boards of intermediate and secondary education are requested to meet the education minister with their four sets of sealed question papers,” he said.
The two sets sealed question papers are distributed among the board chairmen through lottery in presence of education minister and other high ups.
“Later the question papers are sent to the Bangladesh Government Press from where these are sent to the all deputy commissioners across the country,”
When asked about who are responsible for leaking question papers, he said, although allegations are made against the BG press, it has not been specified yet.
SM Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur district told this reporter that in presence of controller of the board, BG press officials send the sealed question papers to the deputy commissioner office just before a week of examinations.
“I along with some confidential officials keep the sealed question papers in the treasury volt. And the sealed question papers are sent to concerned upazila nirbahi office (UNO) just a day before of the examination of each subject,” he added.
On August 3, plainclothes police arrested nine members of two syndicates involved with leaking question papers of different examinations from Jessore and Dhaka city.
On June 27, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested 15 people, including three masterminds, of the question paper leakage of a government recruitment test from the city’s Jigatala area.
On June 16, a special squad of Detective Branch (DB) police arrested six people along with the ‘mastermind’ in connection with leaking HSC examination questions on social networking site from the city’s Demra area.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said that teachers involved with question paper leakage would face trial and punished severely if found guilty.
“Some dishonest teachers are blackening professional dignity through involving with the destructive practices of leaking question papers. They would certainly face trial for their misdeeds,” he told this reporter.
Question papers leakage in competitive public examinations will continue unless the syndicates involved with such crimes are punished, say academics.
The academics urged the government to create an example by awarding exemplary punishment to those who leak out question papers. Otherwise, the situation will take a serious turn, they warned.
“As the culprits in general escape punishment for lack of sufficient evidence, they continue their evil work,” Serajul Islam Choudhury, littérateur and Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University told The New Nation on Friday
Though some of them are in jails, masterminds always remain untouched.
“They get protection and patronage of the crime syndicates maintaining unholy alliance with a band of corrupt government officials of education boards, BG press as well as local administrations,” he said.
There are allegations that question papers of almost all examinations namely primary school certificate (PSC), junior school certificate (JSC),
secondary school certificate (SSC) and higher secondary school certificate (HSC) had been ‘leaked’ and were available on social media websites and SMS before the examinations.
The academics said the candidates of PSC, JSC, SSC and HSC become very much active and keep their eyes and ears open to contact the right person to get question just before their examinations.
According to a recent study, officials of primary education directorate, education boards, BG Press as well as local administrations have reportedly been involved with question paper leakage incidents.
It also found that student wings of ruling party, coaching centres, guidebook traders, photocopy shops, coaching centres, applicants and sometimes guardians play active role in circulating the leaked question papers.
“Frequent question papers leakage in competitive public examinations is destroying main structure of education, posing a threat to merit based quality education and frustrating the meritorious students as well guardians,” SM Hafizur Rahman, professor of Institute of Education and Research of Dhaka, told The New Nation on Friday
“As national academy for primary education and BG press are responsible for preparing and printing the question papers, their employees might have been involved with question papers leakage,” a highly placed source told The New Nation
But the education ministry and other concerned officials assigned to hold public examinations are failing to hold fair examinations and detecting the masterminds of the question papers leakage.
Talking to The New Nation on Friday, Controller of Examinations Mohammad Shamsul Kalam Azad of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rajshahi said, there is no chance of leaking question papers from the board.
Replying to a query about question, he said, after setting questions papers, these are modernised by the moderators and the moderators select four sets of question papers for each subject.
“Later all chairmen of the boards of intermediate and secondary education are requested to meet the education minister with their four sets of sealed question papers,” he said.
The two sets sealed question papers are distributed among the board chairmen through lottery in presence of education minister and other high ups.
“Later the question papers are sent to the Bangladesh Government Press from where these are sent to the all deputy commissioners across the country,”
When asked about who are responsible for leaking question papers, he said, although allegations are made against the BG press, it has not been specified yet.
SM Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur district told this reporter that in presence of controller of the board, BG press officials send the sealed question papers to the deputy commissioner office just before a week of examinations.
“I along with some confidential officials keep the sealed question papers in the treasury volt. And the sealed question papers are sent to concerned upazila nirbahi office (UNO) just a day before of the examination of each subject,” he added.
On August 3, plainclothes police arrested nine members of two syndicates involved with leaking question papers of different examinations from Jessore and Dhaka city.
On June 27, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested 15 people, including three masterminds, of the question paper leakage of a government recruitment test from the city’s Jigatala area.
On June 16, a special squad of Detective Branch (DB) police arrested six people along with the ‘mastermind’ in connection with leaking HSC examination questions on social networking site from the city’s Demra area.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said that teachers involved with question paper leakage would face trial and punished severely if found guilty.
“Some dishonest teachers are blackening professional dignity through involving with the destructive practices of leaking question papers. They would certainly face trial for their misdeeds,” he told this reporter.
