The results of the Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinations, published on May 12, show that no single examinee has come out successful from 51 educational institutions, mostly madrassahs. 42 of the institutions are under the Madrassah Education Board, three under the Dhaka Education Board, four under the Dinajpur Education Board and two under the Rajshahi Education Board. All this suggests a general absence of efforts, or even sincerity, on the part of the agencies meant to look after national education. Very few students are reported to have taken the examinations from educational institutions with no examinees coming out successful.
It has been reported that there were 11 institutions, including 10 madrassahs, with a single examinee having taken the examinations, with no success. The situation warrants a more detailed analysis of the reality and commensurate action.
The education minister at a press briefing held at the secretariat after the publication of the results said that punitive measures against such educational institutions would be irrational. The minister, says that the approval of such institutions as examinations centres could be canceled as a punitive measure. What is here to look into is what the ministry has done in the event of such poor performance of the institutions as this is no new phenomenon that has happened this time. Drastic punitive measures would certainly harm the institutions, the students and the teachers. Besides, the institutions perform poorly not only because of the institutions themselves and their teachers, but also because of the mangers of national education who are meant look after them and properly take care of them in the event of failures. The government must afford the poorly performing institutions the needed help to prove its sincerity to national education.
