The tale SSC results tell

This year's results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations have not been quite inspiring. And it is evident from both lower pass rates and a sharp decline in the number of the cherished highest grade called grade point average (GPA)-5. A sharp decline of more than 7.0 per cent and 34 per cent in the pass rate and GPA-5 respectively compared to those of the previous year is depressing enough. The drop in the pass rate conversely refers to the fact that of the approximately 1.63 million examinees, roughly 0.115 million more students could not pass the exam by comparison. Similarly, about 75,000 fewer examinees achieved the top GPA-5 this year compared to 2022.

Now the question is if the results should be considered a reversal or not. There is no reason to think that the standard of education or the quality of students this year has suddenly gone down. The year 2021 and 2022 were more challenging before the examinees but because they had to appear for short syllabus, fewer papers carrying curtailed numbers, they had an advantage in terms of achieving better results. This year all 12 papers, albeit somewhat curtailed, were included in the syllabus carrying full marks. One excuse for the drop in the pass rate is Sylhet Education Board's worse results and it is attributed to the floods that wreaked havoc on wider swathes at the time examinees were taking preparation for the exam. What is, however, less discussed about is the auto pass of this SSC batch when they were in Class VIII. First of all, their study suffered most on account of Covid-19 as they were deprived of in-person classroom lessons. The existing discrimination in education in this country was made even acuter by the adverse impact of the pandemic on less privileged families and their learners.

In this context, the studies of the O level and A level may give an insight into education. The privileged and affluent family backgrounds of the students supported their studies all the same during the pandemic and there is hardly any complaint that their study suffered. Similarly, urban students in general but more particularly of the select educational institutions had back-up enough to make up for the loss of in-person classroom learning. Results of these more equal than the rest schools and colleges were enviable before and it is not any different this year as well. They have achieved cent per cent pass rate with GPA scorers in the region of 90 plus per cent.

Evidently, success in the examinations at the secondary level is not all about merit. The academic environment and teaching standard can make a whole lot of difference in results of examinations. Students from poor and underprivileged family backgrounds are discriminated against right from their growth in their mothers' wombs for understandable reasons. Yet, some exceptionally brilliant individuals from poor background at times work wonder to scale the summit. But their numbers are few and far between. The overriding need is to reduce the yawning gaps between and among educational institutions by investing more in education. The ultimate goal ought to be to bring about a reasonably uniform standard in education.