Dependence on coaching \\\'behind alarming show\\\' in varsity exams

Over 90 per cent applicants, looking for admission to Dhaka University this year with excellent results both in SSC and HSC examinations, have failed to obtain even the pass mark in its 'Kha' unit, exposing the awful picture of the country's education quality, reports UNB.

Experts said the poor performance of students in the admission tests of the country's premier educational institution after a huge pass rate of 78.33 per cent with more than 70,000 GPA-5 achievers in the HSC examination this year indicates that quality education still remains a far cry.

Only 9.55 per cent participants had been able to attain the pass mark

in the recently-held 'Kha' unit test for admission to first year honours under the 2014-15 academic session of the university.

The pass rate in 'Ka' and 'Ga' units' admission tests of the university is also not satisfactory as 21.5 per cent participants got the pass mark in 'Ka' unit and 20.61 per cent in 'Ga' unit.

Noted educationist Professor (emeritus) of Dhaka University Dr AF Serajul Islam Choudhury found the poor performance of students in the admission tests as an 'alarming signal', saying that they have been doing good results in the public examinations-SSC and HSC-in recent years, but the quality of education did not improve.

Choudhury identified the growing dependence of students on coaching system, absence of cultural life for students and lack of training, and financial and other privileges for teachers as the main reasons behind the low standard of education in Bangladesh.

Dr Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman, a professor of Dhaka University's Institute of Education and Research (IER), said the good results in the SSC and HSC do not mean that the quality of education has been ensured.

"If the quality of education is improved, almost all the participants having the excellent results in SSC and HSC examinations might have got the pass mark in the admission test," he added.