SSC results
134 schools, madrasahs deemed ‘educational institutions’ despite zero pass rate
Only two girls form Kalia Araipara Girl's High School in Shokhipur, Tangail sat for this year’s School Secondary Certificate (SSC) examinations, but none of them passed the examinations. The school’s tin-shed L shape house is fenced by corrugated-iron sheet. Azizul Isla, a next door neighbour of the school, said there are not much students at the school.
Assistant teacher Altaf Baig told Prothom Alo over mobile phone both students are married and they failed in math examinations last year. Yet, they participated in no classes over the past year.
The school was established in 2000, and it still not listed in MPO (monthly pay order) facility. There are 11 teachers, and they claimed to have more than 100 students at the school, but locals said only 10-12 students attend classes regularly. Four students took part in SSC examinations in 2023. None passed. Four out of six overcame the SSC exams in 2024.
This year, no students passed the SSC and equivalent examinations at 134 institutions – 86 madrasahs and 48 schools – across the country. A total of 51 institutions had no students passed SSC examinations last year. Though most institutions had fewer students, several institutions got 20 or a little more than that.
Four of these institutions with zero pass rates are under Dhaka Education Board, one each under Cumilla and Chattogram, two under Jashore, 16 under Barishal, 13 under Dinajpur and 11 institutions are under Mymensingh Education Board.
The results of SSC and equivalent examinations were published on 10 July. Both the pass rate and students who obtained GPA-5 have decreased this year.
This year, students from 30,088 educational institutions across the country took part in the SSC and equivalent exams. Among them, 984 institutions saw a 100 per cent pass rate. However, this number has decreased by 1,984 compared to last year. Last year, the number of institutions with a perfect pass rate was 2,968.
The Shreepur High School in Kashiani upazila of Gopalganj under Dhaka Education Board recorded a zero pass rate. Twenty students appeared for the exam from this school, but none passed.
At Islampur High School in Nangalkot under Cumilla Board, all 32 students failed. Only one student from Muldair Taltola Girls' Secondary School in Narail Sadar under Jashore Education Board appeared for the exam and failed.
Twenty eight students from Kachibabunia Asmat Ali Dakhil Madrasah in Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali under Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board sat for the exams — none passed.
Regarding this, Inter-Education Board Coordination Sub-Committee president of Dhaka Education Board chairman Professor Khondoker Ehsanul Kabir said that the actual condition of schools with zero pass rates and the reasons for their poor performance would be investigated. The directorate has been informed that actions are taken accordingly.
Child marriage also to blame
Dhaka Education Board conducted a survey on students who were absent from this year’s SSC examinations. It revealed that nearly 41 per cent of the absent students were married.
Information also suggests that a significant portion of students at many of the zero-pass schools are married. The same scenario was observed in the case of two examinees from Kaliar Araipara Girls’ High School in Tangail.
This year, 17 female students from Purakata Girls’ Secondary School in Sadar upazila of Barguna appeared in the SSC examinations, but all of them failed.
Purakata Girls’ Secondary School headteacher Israt Jahan told Prothom Alo, “Every year our school performs well. But this time, all our achievements have vanished. At least 10 out of the 17 girls who took the exam were child brides. Besides, they were irregular in classes. We did our best to teach them. But students do not fail just because of one or two reasons — there are many causes behind it.”
The school became MPO-listed (meaning its teachers receive salary and allowances from the government) in 2022. It currently has eight teachers and 160 students.
Professor SM Hafizur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research at University of Dhaka told Prothom Alo, “Every year, more or less, there are some institutions from which no students pass — yet no strong action is taken. This year, the number has even increased. It is not just about zero-pass schools — institutions where only 10–20 per cent of students pass should also be analysed separately, and necessary measures should be taken. Education officers responsible for monitoring these schools should also be held accountable.”
Prothom Alo’s Correspondent, Borguna, and Correspondent, Shokhipur, Tangail contributed reporting.