bdnews24.com :
A second set of question papers for Primary School Certificate (PSC) and Ebtedayee examinations that just ended was not prepared due to financial constraints, authorities say.
Making more than one set of question papers is considered an important means to prevent their leak, but the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) made only one set this year.
Allegations have it that PSC question papers of all subjects were leaked this year.
DPE Director General Alamgir Hossain said more than one set of questions paper could not be prepared due to a fund crunch.
He said, question papers would be made digitally and printed in the test centres in future to prevent leak.
“So there will be no risk of question paper leak,” he added.
Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) Executive Director Rasheda K Chowdhury questioned the logic of depending on a single set of question papers in any public exams.
A total of 3,094,265 students took the PSC and Ebtedayee exams held from Nov 23 to 30.
Allegations of question paper leak arose from the very day the tests started.
Educationist Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal wrote articles in the media presenting the ‘evidence’ of leak to substantiate the allegations.
The government kept denying the allegations though a probe by the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education found that 53 percent of Bangla paper questions and 80 percent of English questions had leaked last year.
DPE chief Hossain said his department did not have adequate fund to print more than one set of question papers.
He said they would print as many sets as demanded if the government provided them money needed.
Hossain said: “The National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE) sent four sets of question paper scripts to BG (Bangladesh Government) Press for printing.
“One set was chosen through lottery from among the four sets and printed. The remaining three sets could not be printed due to financial constraints.”
Four sets of questions papers are printed for each of three other public exams-Junior School Certificate (JSC), Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate.
The authorities then determine, through lottery on the first day of the exams, which set would be used.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid had earlier said 32 sets of questions papers would be prepared, if necessary, to prevent leak in SSC and HSC exams.
DPE chief Hossain said a PSC examinee was charged only Tk 60 in fees, which were far less than the fees for other public exams.
No more printing in BG Press He said PSC question papers would be made digitally and printed in exam halls in future to stop their leak.
“Question papers will be made one or one and a half hours prior to stat of the exam. A special software will be developed through which the official responsible for a centre can download the question papers by using ID and password,” he added.
The official said the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) had been assigned to ‘implement the plan’.
He said PSC question papers would no more be printed from BG Press.
“Leak of all sorts of question papers will stop. Nobody will get the chance to leak them,” he added.
Why one set question papers
Rasheda K Chowdhury, who was an adviser to the caretaker government, was surprised to know the PSC exams were held on a single set of question papers.
“How can tests be held on a single set of papers? It’s absurd,” she said. Chowdhury said the question paper leak was having a negative impact on the students.
A second set of question papers for Primary School Certificate (PSC) and Ebtedayee examinations that just ended was not prepared due to financial constraints, authorities say.
Making more than one set of question papers is considered an important means to prevent their leak, but the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) made only one set this year.
Allegations have it that PSC question papers of all subjects were leaked this year.
DPE Director General Alamgir Hossain said more than one set of questions paper could not be prepared due to a fund crunch.
He said, question papers would be made digitally and printed in the test centres in future to prevent leak.
“So there will be no risk of question paper leak,” he added.
Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) Executive Director Rasheda K Chowdhury questioned the logic of depending on a single set of question papers in any public exams.
A total of 3,094,265 students took the PSC and Ebtedayee exams held from Nov 23 to 30.
Allegations of question paper leak arose from the very day the tests started.
Educationist Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal wrote articles in the media presenting the ‘evidence’ of leak to substantiate the allegations.
The government kept denying the allegations though a probe by the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education found that 53 percent of Bangla paper questions and 80 percent of English questions had leaked last year.
DPE chief Hossain said his department did not have adequate fund to print more than one set of question papers.
He said they would print as many sets as demanded if the government provided them money needed.
Hossain said: “The National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE) sent four sets of question paper scripts to BG (Bangladesh Government) Press for printing.
“One set was chosen through lottery from among the four sets and printed. The remaining three sets could not be printed due to financial constraints.”
Four sets of questions papers are printed for each of three other public exams-Junior School Certificate (JSC), Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate.
The authorities then determine, through lottery on the first day of the exams, which set would be used.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid had earlier said 32 sets of questions papers would be prepared, if necessary, to prevent leak in SSC and HSC exams.
DPE chief Hossain said a PSC examinee was charged only Tk 60 in fees, which were far less than the fees for other public exams.
No more printing in BG Press He said PSC question papers would be made digitally and printed in exam halls in future to stop their leak.
“Question papers will be made one or one and a half hours prior to stat of the exam. A special software will be developed through which the official responsible for a centre can download the question papers by using ID and password,” he added.
The official said the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) had been assigned to ‘implement the plan’.
He said PSC question papers would no more be printed from BG Press.
“Leak of all sorts of question papers will stop. Nobody will get the chance to leak them,” he added.
Why one set question papers
Rasheda K Chowdhury, who was an adviser to the caretaker government, was surprised to know the PSC exams were held on a single set of question papers.
“How can tests be held on a single set of papers? It’s absurd,” she said. Chowdhury said the question paper leak was having a negative impact on the students.
