SSC exams begin today

Secondary School Certificate and its equivalent examinations begin today with a total of 1,206,019 examinees from 26,192 educational institutions across the country taking the exams.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said that the government has completed all the necessary preparations to hold the examinations in an environment that is peaceful and free of cheating.
He said, “Copying is a menace and we have taken measures to totally remove it.
“Stern action will be taken against officials, employees or teachers — whoever it may be — if they are found to be helping anyone adopt unfair means.”
This year the number of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinees is around 1.40 lakh more than last year.
Last year 1,063,848 students took part in exams.
Some 627,672 male and 578,347 female students will sit the examinations at 2,044 centres under 10 education boards this year.
Around 36 percent of the registered students are not taking the 2010 exams.
However the dropout rate came down this year — in 2009 it was 42.15 percent and in 2008 it was 48 percent.
According to statistics from the education board computer centre, more than 13.61 lakh students were registered in class IX as regular students during the 200809 year.
Around 8.70 lakh regular students and 3.35 lakh failed students from previous years will take part in the SSC exams.
A total of 272,183 students will sit the exams under Dhaka Board; 134,644 under Rajshahi Board; 102,285 under Comilla Board; 123,541 under Jessore Board; 68,510 under Chittagong Board; 55,627 under Barisal Board; 41,295 under Sylhet Board; 118,095 under Dinajpur Board; 211,860 under Madrasa Board; 77,979 under Technical Board.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid is likely to visit some of the exam centres in Dhaka as well as a few outside the city, said sources.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police will impose restrictions on the movement of people within 200 yards of examination centres so that students can reach the centres unhindered.

Courtesy of The Daily Star