Do the SSC results prove quality?

Do the SSC results prove quality?
The number of examinees scoring the highest grade in the SSC and equivalent examinations under ten education boards this year has increased significantly than the figure of the previous yeas and the overall success rate also jumped up. In the secondary School Certificate Examinations of 2010, a total of 62, 134 examinees scored GPA-5 under eight general education boards. It was 45, 934 in 2009 and 41, 917 in 2008. The result has been published in 59 days after the completion of the examinations. The pass percentage under eight education boards in 78.19 which was 67.41 in 2009 meaning over ten percent increase in the pass rate from the last year’s results. The number of schools with cent percent students pass record has also increased to 2927 from last year’s 2726. The number of schools with zero pupils passed came down to 49 from last year’s 72. The number of expelled examinees also shows lower than the previous year. A total of 482 students were expelled against lat year’s 541 last year. The success of science group student’s increased to 89.69 percent compared with the last years 83.75 percent. The combined pass rate, under the ten boards, is 79.98 against last year’s 70. 89 percent. The boys’ percentage of success is 81.84 and the girls’ is 77.95.
The Education Ministry claims that special emphasis was given to English and Mathematics in the light of previous year’s experience. Due to failure in these two important subjects the pass percentage showed lower last year which impelled the ministry to give special direction to schools to take extra classes on these two subjects. Actually, the poor performing schools don’t have any special arrangement for these two subjects as they already suffer from quality teachers particularly in these two subjects. The better performing ones arrange special classes and take other measures of their own accord to make their results better. So, it is imperative of the government to offer some special supports to the poor performing schools. BRAC with its limited ability stands beside these schools to help the rural SSC candidates students with some special English and Mathematics materials and they show better performance. The claims contradicts as we can remember that many students got despaired when they found that their done passage in English First paper was not set in their examination question this year. They cried, swooned and lodged complaints that English first paper question was tough and un common. The underlying fact of this claim is that our students are not taught to face the examinations without their practiced things they do in the class and in the internal examinations. Creatively is not at all encourage and practiced. Many students lost hope of obtaining GPA-5 as they did not do well at all in English First Paper. When the number of GPA-5 has increased and the ministry claims that emphasis was given on English calls in question and the smell of manipulation of the results diffuses. In the English second paper, the same question as was given in the Test Papers was set as it happens every year. Our examinees are not at all habituated to see some different questions in the examination questions. There lies no chance at all to identify the creativity of the students and their real progess. When changed structure or questions are set students don’t do well in the examination. All the Test Papers just publish the collected questions of different schools and pupils practice them in the class. Any change brings their disaster. When the situation is this how can we claim that special emphasis was given on English and Mathematics? Any change of figure in Mathematics throws the students into utter despair. I can remember when I was in Rajuk Uttara Model college, I prepared an unseen comprehension for English second paper as it was the style of questions then and the same question was followed by many schools colleges without changing anything till new second paper system came.
Like the previous years, schools in urban areas especially in the metropolitan cities dominated with the top list achievers and cent percent pass records. According to new criteria to identify the top listed schools are registered students, regular examinee, total examinees, passed examinees and number of GPA-5 holders. This new criteria has given place to some new schools. In spite of many changes and even improvement sings we cannot claim everything positive. The questions were easy, or examiners were liberal, or schools eliminated the weaker candidates beforehand .It is alleged that some institutions are achieving this sumptuous results through manipulations in the form of excluding many potential candidates in the pre-qualifying test. This is unfair. For some candidates, unfortunately, the joy of success may be shadowed by the coming uncertainly. It is reported that more than 60,000 achievers of GPA -5 will not get admission in a college of their choice. This is another sign of imbalance. The ‘Chattra League’ is waiting to have a thriving business known as ‘admission trade’ making the capital of this imbalanced situation. The brighter students will learn a black beginning of their higher education.
Again, the madarsa shows the highest pass rate ( 86.70%) among all the ten education boards. It makes scope for discussion. The madaras teachers are not so trained as in general education, teaching ways are also not developed, modern and scientific. So, how is it possible for the madarsa students to obtain the highest pass percentage? In this age of globalization we must not lag behind in global education race. In this perspective can we afford just to increase the pass percentage with some other objectives or we should ensure quality education taking very standard examination. Questions for madarsa examinations must be set world standard.

Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
75, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212.
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com