The Primary Education Completion (PEC) and its equivalent examinations will not be held this year, and students will be promoted to the next class through evaluation.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given her approval in this regard. This step has been taken in view of the situation existing in the education sector due to coronavirus pandemic.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain confirmed this at a press conference on Tuesday.
The minister said, “We don’t want to put our students at risk in the Coronavirus situation. Therefore, a summary was sent to the Prime Minister to cancel the PEC and Ebtedayee examinations this year. The Prime Minister has agreed to this. Today, a letter has reached us.”
Zakir Hossain also said, “Although the PEC and Ebtedayee examination will not be held this year, the students will be promoted to the 6th grade (class six) through class evaluation.”
However, if it becomes possible to reopen the school, the examinations of other classes except the fifth class will be held, he said.
Akram Al Hossain, senior secretary at the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, said, “On August 19, a summary was sent to the Prime Minister, with a request to cancel the examinations due to the Covid-19 situation. Earlier, a meeting was held in presence of Primary and Mass Education Secretary and Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office Ahmad Kaikaus. This decision was made there. On the basis of the decision of the meeting, a summary was prepared and sent to the Prime Minister for her approval.”
The secretary said, “It has not been decided as yet when the educational institutions will be reopened. The National Academy of Primary Education (NAPE) was asked to shorten the syllabus and offer proposals as the educational institutions have been closed for a long time. They sent proposals on how much will be taught when the school opens in September, October and November. Since the educational institutions are not likely to open in September, the next two proposals were finalized at a virtual meeting with the authorities concerned on Tuesday.”
He further said that as it was not possible to conduct the PEC examinations this year, the fifth grade (class five) scholarship would not be given, but the stipend would be given as usual.
Scholarship activities resume next year if it is possible to conduct examinations, he added.
Meanwhile, the ministry has set a guideline on reopening schools although the date is yet to be decided.
According to the ministry’s plan, 80 percent of the syllabus will be covered if schools reopen in September, 70 percent if in October and 60 percent if in November.
The duration of the primary education calendar is 131 working days from January 1 to November 17.
Only 30-35 percent (40 days) of the working days was covered till March 16. Primary educational institutions will remain closed till August 31.
The National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE) said another 50 working days are a must to make students eligible for promotion to the next grade.
If the schools do not open in September, it will not be possible to complete the remaining syllabus between November and December, NAPE recommended.
According to the summary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, some countries reopened schools in compliance with strict hygiene rules considering the coronavirus infection situation. Japan, South Africa and South Korea reopened schools, but closed them immediately due to increased infections.
Considering the Covid-19 infection situation, it has not been decided to reopen educational institutions in Bangladesh as yet. Even if the schools reopen in September, parents may not send their children to school. This will create disparity between students who go to school and those who do not.
