Staff Reporter :
The government has decided not to hold Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is not possible to hold the HSC and equivalent examinations at this moment because of the pandemic,” Education Minister Dipu Moni told it at a virtual press conference on different issues relating to the education on Wednesday. The HSC and equivalent examinations were scheduled to begin from April 1, but the government had no second option than postponing it on March 22 because of the pandemic.
A total of 13,65,689 students were to participate in this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations.
Dipu Moni said, an alternative method of evaluation will be used this time.
“The HSC results will be evaluated based on the students’ JSC and SSC results and their average,” she said. “The results of these two public exams will be collected from the education boards concerned by November and the HSC results will be given next month.”
The minister said students who failed in the HSC exam last year in one or multiple subjects or all subjects will also be assessed based on their JSC and SSC results.
The results of the test examination held in the colleges for HSC candidates will not be accepted. Students will only be assessed by averaging the results of two public examinations, JSC and SSC.
In this regard, the education minister said, We have the results of two public tests, that’s why we are going to asses merits based on JSC SSC results.”
Dr Dipu Moni said the decision has been taken considering the global pandemic and planning for a risk-free exam, which is virtually impossible at the moment
“There is no guarantee when the coronavirus situation will return to normal…Accuracy, reliability, avoiding health risks to students in taking HSC exams should be kept in mind while planning,” she said adding that 30-32 working days will be needed to take the HSC exam.
“The decision to place one student on each bench for the exam and follow all the hygiene rules, it would require double number of centres. If the centre is to be doubled, the manpower has to be doubled. It is difficult for the ministry,” she said.
The number of subjects can be reduced to take the exam but every subject is important for higher secondary level students.
“The bigger risk was if a student gets infected or someone in his or her family gets infected after we start to take exams what will happen to that examinee,” Dr Dipu Moni said.
She highlighted that in foreign countries like India, China and Hong Kong have either cancelled or postponed public exams that are similar to HSC.
Education Minister noted that the decision was taken after consultation with the examinees, teachers, parents, health department and other stakeholders.
