SSC students failing up to two subjects will be able to retake exams within 15 days: Edu minister

Students who fail in up to two subjects in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations will be allowed to retake those exams within 15 days of the publication of results, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has said.

He made the announcement today, Tuesday, at the opening ceremony of an orientation training course for officers of the 49th BCS General Education Cadre at the Rural Development Academy in Bogura.

Speaking as the chief guest, the minister said, “What we will do for the SSC examinations is this: those who fail in a maximum of two subjects will sit the exams again within 15 days. We will not carry the legacy of failure forward year after year.”

He said a decision on whether the students would remain in general education would be made based on the results of the retake examinations. Those who fail to pass the retake examinations would be transferred to technical education.

At present, students who fail in one or more subjects in public examinations such as the SSC and HSC must sit the exams again the following year. They can retake only the subjects they failed or, if they wish, sit all the subjects again.

However, students who fail in just one or two subjects have to wait a full year, which can set back their education and create additional mental stress.

Against this backdrop, students, guardians and education stakeholders have been calling for a system allowing students to retake failed subjects within three months of the publication of results.

Last Saturday, the Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) organised a conference for students who failed the SSC and equivalent examinations at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.

Students from different areas shared their problems and feelings at the event, where they called for retakes in failed subjects within three months of the publication of results.

At the same event, Mahdi Amin, the prime minister’s adviser on education, said the government was also considering the proposal positively.

He said the government would give positive consideration to allowing students who fail one or more subjects in public examinations such as the SSC to retake only those subjects within three months, rather than wait a year.

However, he also noted that introducing the system for this year’s SSC examinations might be difficult.

On Monday, the education boards submitted their opinions to the Ministry of Education, saying students could be allowed to retake failed subjects within three months of the publication of SSC and HSC results.

However, they said such retakes could be arranged for this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations, but not for this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations.

According to the boards, the system could be introduced for the SSC examinations from next year.

The education minister has now said students who fail in up to two subjects will be able to retake those exams within 15 days.

Educationists, as well as current and former chairmen of education boards, also believe the boards can arrange such examinations, if a policy decision is made. This would spare students from having to wait a year.

It would also reduce complications involving the simultaneous examination of regular and irregular candidates, as well as the preparation and distribution of question papers for them, they added.