Dhaka: Education Minister Professor Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar has vowed to take action against negligence of concerned teachers in examining the answer scripts of the public examinations as a good number of unsuccessful students passed in the reexamination of their answer sheets of the recently published SSC and equivalent examinations.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Abrar stated in an exclusive interview at his ministry office that those teachers against whom allegations of negligence in evaluating the SSC exam papers are proven will face consequences. He mentioned that such teachers might be excluded from future examination processes, ensuring they do not receive exam papers to evaluate.
The education adviser revealed that following the publication of this year’s SSC and equivalent exam results, 3,27,271 students applied for a re-evaluation of their answer sheets. Among these applicants, 2,096 students who initially failed have now passed through the re-evaluation process, and 951 have achieved a GPA of 5. Additionally, 139 students from the Madrasha Education Board who failed earlier have now attained a GPA of 5 in their re-examinations.
Dr. Abrar expressed his surprise at the re-evaluation results and emphasized that action would be taken against those responsible for the discrepancies once their identities are confirmed. He announced plans to convene a meeting with the education board chairmen to finalize decisions on this matter, with further directions to be given based on their input.
The education adviser also stressed the importance of accurate evaluation, noting that while it is commendable that students succeeded in the re-examinations, the aim should be to ensure that no student is deprived of a fair assessment initially. He reiterated that negligence by teachers in evaluating exam papers will not be tolerated, as they receive an appropriate honorarium for their services. Teachers must evaluate student records responsibly and without any laxity.
Dr. Abrar called for education boards to be more vigilant in distributing exam papers and to establish a standard for this process. He highlighted existing Ministry of Education rules regarding exam paper evaluation but noted that some teachers bypass these by allowing others, including students or their children, to evaluate the papers. He urged those involved to exercise greater care and awareness.
He acknowledged the mental stress experienced by over 2,000 students who passed after initially failing, expressing his apologies to them. Dr. Abrar concluded by emphasizing the need for teachers to ensure that every examinee receives the correct score, regardless of the effort required.