HSC results will help students continue academic life, says Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the government took on the challenge of publishing the results of the Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent assessments without holding the exams in a bid to ensure the academic life of students was not hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The government on Saturday published the pandemic-delayed results of last year's HSC exams which were based on a stop-gap system of averaging the scores of the JSC and SSC tests.

Hasina officially released the results at a programme at the International Mother Language Institute via video link.

“We thought we'd be able to hold the exams once the [coronavirus] situation would improve. But we're now seeing a fresh wave of the infection sweeping across the country. We published the results under such unusual circumstances with an aim to ensure the academic life of the students is not hampered," she said.

"Not just Bangladesh but many other countries around the world have announced the results in the same manner. We followed the process recommended by our experts in the education field. Moreover, we never wanted our students to lose one year from their academic life; but wanted them to continue it. I hope they’ll continue to study.”

The government is trying its best to bridle the spread of the coronavirus and the students will return to classrooms and attend regular classes, once the pandemic ebbs, according to the prime minister. The next exams will decide their fate, after the students are promoted and resume regular academic sessions, she said.

Hasina also urged everyone not to criticise the HSC assessment process this year “Many people have criticised it. But I feel that we should not embitter the issue so that young children don’t feel disheartened. In any case, they are now unable to attend schools and colleges.”

“If we make snide remarks about the results on top of that, it will create mental stress for them. Therefore, I urge everyone to refrain from making negative comments."

The government will monitor the coronavirus situation in February and then make a decision on the reopening of education institutions, according to Hasina.

“You know that 2020 was an important year for the Bengali people, being the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We had taken preparations for a grand celebration but then scaled it down thinking people should not get affected by coronavirus during the process. This was our biggest responsibility," she said.

“As my father spent his entire life struggling for (the benefit of)  the people, my priority is to protect the people. And that’s why we stopped all the programmes. Rather, We opted for a virtual programme," she said.