This year the SSC pass rate is about 91 per cent. This is two per cent higher than what it was last year. Almost all are happy, particularly the Education Minister and the Prime Minister, besides others.
On the other hand, many people, who really care about a better education system and who are well-wishers of the nation, are not happy with the results. Every one should be happy with the results of the SSC examination as well as with all other public examinations. But a significant number of people are not happy. What's the reason?
This writer knows a school where students come from low-income families. Only four girls out of 61 passed in all the subjects in their test examinations from the institution last year. But in the SSC examination, fifty-nine of them passed with a majority securing good grades.
It was heard from a math teacher who was also an examiner under an education board that he was directed to give excessive marks by his head examiner. What was really strange was that the head examiner instructed him that in case of students scoring marks within the range of 20-22 and above but less than the required 33, he needed to have them passed. Because of ethical reasons, the teacher quit as an examiner.
A student of Grade VI went to one of the largest coaching centres to attend a mock test for the half-yearly examination in Rajshahi putting on a three-quarter dress with his mother. But he was barred to enter the main gate and asked to change the dress and come back again. If they got back to their home for changing the dress and came back to the coaching centre they would miss the mock test. She requested the teachers, the administrator and lastly the director of the coaching centre to allow her kid to take part in the mock test this time only but she failed. The director using a loud speaker in his room asked the concerned official to provide them a vehicle to do the job. They went home and came back after changing the dress. The kid attended the mock test but he was a few minutes late.
Not very long ago, there was no vehicle and the coaching centre was having 3/4 rooms in a rented house. Now it has a five-storied building with many big rooms. All these are being used for coaching purposes with parking facilities. Earlier, each class had 10-15 students and now the figure has reached more than 60. There are several coaching centres in Rajshahi city and all of them reflect the same scenario. Mostly students from various institutions are the teachers of these coaching centres.
One of the parents said the school has no classes. It opens two days each month only for collecting fees from the students in the classrooms and then after collection of the fees, the school is closed. Students come to classes only for giving tuition fees!
In case of teachers' recruitment in the educational institutions, we have found that less qualified candidates are recruited as teachers by giving bribes to the ruling party members and it is now an open secret.
We urge the government to establish a separate Public Service Commission for teachers' recruitment. We also urge that education should not be politicised.
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