Bangladesh cancels JSC, JDC exams in pandemic

The government has cancelled this year's Junior School Certificate (JSC) and Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) examinations due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 27 August 2020, 10:31 AM
Updated : 27 August 2020, 01:33 PM

"The JSC-JDC exams will not be held in 2020," the education ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The decision was taken in line with the prime minister's instructions with the safety of students in mind, according to education officials.

The announcement followed the government's decision to extend the shutdown of schools and educational institutions across the country to Oct 3, owing to the pandemic.

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has already announced that the PEC exams will not be held centrally this year.

But no decision has been taken yet on how students would advance to the next grade level if the exams cannot be held.

On Thursday, Education Minister Dipu Moni sat down with ministry officials to discuss plans for the education system during and after the pandemic.

The officials of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, the Directorate Of Secondary and Higher Education and National Curriculum and Textbook Board have been instructed to prepare a proposal, recommending an alternative evaluation method to determine how students will advance to the next grade level, the education ministry said in a statement.

The officials have been told to submit their plans in the next meeting.

The government is also preparing a contingency plan in case it is not possible to hold the HSC and equivalent exams this year.

Dipu Moni also stressed the need to focus on online education, asking the authorities to explore ways to make it more effective at the university level.

Bangladesh announced the closure of all schools and other educational institutions in the country on Mar 17 following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

It later ordered the shutdown of offices, workplaces and public transport services under a nationwide lockdown which came into effect on Mar 26.

Offices and public transport services later reopened on a limited scale at the end of the 66-day lockdown on May 31.

The rampant epidemic has also resulted in the postponement of the HSC and equivalent exams, originally slated for Apr 1.

The government has also suspended the primary education completion and equivalent examinations this year due to the coronavirus crisis.