Education ministry made no decision on scrapping HSC exams

The government has not yet decided on scrapping the Higher Secondary Certificate or HSC and its equivalent exams, an education ministry spokesperson has said.

MA Khayer, the ministry’s public relations officer, clarified the issue to bdnews24.com on Friday after the ministry in a statement on Thursday said the government was preparing a contingency plan in case it is not possible to hold the HSC exams.

The HSC exams had originally been slated for Apr 1 this year but the government postponed the tests after the coronavirus outbreak began.

A shutdown of educational institutions has been in place since mid-March due to the pandemic. Many institutions are holding online classes while the government is broadcasting lessons on TV.

The government scrapped this year’s JSC and JDC exams for the eighth graders after suspending primary education completion or PEC tests.

The national technical advisory committee on tackling COVID-19 on Thursday said HSC tests held throughout the country last for around a month and involve a large number of people that may increase the risks of infection.

It suggested holding the exams later when the situation improves.

But an education ministry official, who spoke to bdnews24.com on the condition of anonymity, said there were “no alternatives” to holding HSC tests because it is related to university admission.