Schools under scrutiny over alleged irregularities to show 100% GPA-5 results

Education boards have launched investigations into allegations that some educational institutions adopted irregular practices to achieve 100 per cent GPA-5 results in this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations.

The allegations surfaced following the publication of the SSC and equivalent examination results recently. Education boards have already sought relevant documents from several institutions accused of irregularities and are examining whether students were selectively prevented from filling out examination forms.

The documents sought include students’ test examination results, registration records and all relevant information related to form submission. Authorities are also in the process of summoning heads of several institutions to appear before the boards in person.

Board officials said strict action would be taken against institutions if any irregularities are established through the investigation.

The test or selection examination is primarily an internal assessment designed to help students evaluate their preparation and understand their position ahead of the public examination. However, preventing a student who has passed the test examination from filling out the SSC examination form simply because they did not achieve a desired GPA is against education board regulations.

According to officials concerned, an educational institution cannot impose a GPA-based condition on students who have passed the test examination merely to improve the institution’s overall results. The examination rules and annual notices issued by education boards contain clear guidelines regarding selection examinations.

Institutions have no authority to impose arbitrary conditions, such as preventing a student from filling out the examination form unless they secure an A+ or a particular GPA.

However, a student who fails the test examination in any subject or fails to meet other mandatory requirements set by the board may be prevented from completing the examination form.

Several sources familiar with the matter said some reputed educational institutions across the country conduct a selection process among students before the board examination. After test examination results are published, parents of students who obtain relatively low marks or GPAs are allegedly called in and discouraged from allowing their children to sit for the board examination.

In some cases, students are reportedly advised to fill out examination forms through other institutions and participate in the SSC examination from there.

The issue has drawn particular attention to institutions where almost all participating students secured GPA-5. Questions have been raised over whether students were screened after the test examinations before being allowed to sit for the SSC examination.

The results of Nasima Kadir Molla High School and Homes in Narsingdi have intensified the discussion.

This year, 382 students from the institution appeared in the SSC examination 376 from the Science group and six from Business Studies and all of them secured GPA-5. Last year, all 320 students who appeared from the institution also secured GPA-5.

The institution has maintained a strong academic record in previous years as well.

However, following the publication of this year’s results, allegations emerged that some students who passed the test examination were not allowed to complete the examination form.

After the allegation came to the attention of the education board, information was sought from the institution’s administration. Officials are examining how many marks each student obtained in the test examination, who passed, how many students were registered, who completed the examination form and who did not.

The board is also examining whether students or their parents were pressured or discouraged from filling out the examination forms.

Officials said similar allegations had been received against several educational institutions in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, and preliminary investigations had already begun into some of them.

“If a student who passed the test examination is denied the opportunity to fill out the SSC examination form simply because they did not secure an A+, that would be a violation of the rules. If such irregularities are proven, exemplary action should be taken against the institutions concerned,” said Md Ziaul Kabir Dulu, president of the Guardians Unity Forum.

Mohammad Emon Hossain, head teacher of Nasima Kadir Molla High School and Homes, denied the allegation that students were selected for form submission based on their GPA.

He said the institution had followed government directives and education board circulars while allowing students who passed the test examination to complete their forms.

“Our institution has been accused of not allowing students to fill out the examination form unless they secured an A+ in the test examination. This is completely false and baseless. Under government directives, students who secured at least 33 per cent marks were allowed to fill out the examination form. If any student or guardian can prove that a student who secured 33 per cent was denied the opportunity to fill out the form, we will accept whatever punishment is imposed,” Emon Hossain said.

Giving details of this year’s test examination, he said 483 students took part in the examination, of whom 382 passed and 101 failed.

“Forms were filled out for all students who passed. Forms were not filled out for those who failed. We completed the form submission process based on the test examination results,” he said.

The head teacher also said there were board directives regarding not allowing students who failed the test examination to complete their examination forms.

He attributed the institution’s strong results to strict discipline, regular classes and close supervision of students.

According to him, students receive additional study time after regular classes, while teachers visit the homes of weaker students and maintain communication with their parents. The institution also assigns one guide teacher for every 12 students.

Professor Dr Md Masud Rana Khan, school inspector at the Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, said the board had received allegations that students who passed the test examination were denied the opportunity to sit for the SSC examination simply because they did not secure an A+.

“We have already become aware of the matter. Institutions from which 100 per cent of students failed are also being summoned by letter. Similarly, institutions from which 100 per cent of students secured GPA-5 are being called. We are examining the issues involving these institutions,” he said.

Regarding Nasima Kadir Molla High School and Homes and other institutions facing allegations, he said the institutions were being summoned on the instructions of the board chairman.

“We want to speak with them and understand the issues. We have already started preliminary investigations into some matters. After speaking with the institutions, we will be able to establish the facts more clearly. We will then take necessary action,” he said.

Asked whether there was any specific board rule preventing students from filling out examination forms if they failed to secure an A+ in the test examination, he said the matter was under review and that it would not be appropriate to make a final comment before the preliminary investigation was completed.

Professor Dr Syed Aktaruzzaman, chairman of the Dhaka Education Board and president of the Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, said information had been sought from Nasima Kadir Molla High School and Homes and several other institutions regarding students’ registration, test examination results and SSC examination form submission.

“The information has been sought from the institutions concerned. After receiving the documents, the matter will be reviewed and necessary action will be taken,” he said.

-HIS