HSC exams begin tomorrow

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations- 2010 under the country’s 10 education boards will begin tomorrow (Thursday) across the country.
The government has completed all preparations to hold the HSC examination smoothly and in a peaceful manner across the country, Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid said this at a press briefing held in the ministry yesterday.
A total of 7,36,373 candidates from 7202 educational institutions will sit for this year’s examination in 2,037 centres under 10 education boards, including one technical and one madrasa board.
Of the total examinees, about 4,00,464 are male and 3,35,909 female candidates.
Besides, 146 students will also sit for the HSC examination from five centres in foreign countries.
The centres abroad are one each in Jeddah, Riyadh, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Tripoli.
The highest number of HSC candidates are from Dhaka Board (1,96,197) and the lowest 20,125 HSC candidates are under the Sylhet education board  for  this year’s examinations.
The education minister warned that monthly payment order (MPO) of concerned educational institutions would be cancelled if any teacher or employee is involved in extending help in adoption of unfair means.
The minister also said that the centres which would be identified for irregular activity would be cancelled for the next year.
He sought cooperation from the people’s representatives and political leaders in holding the big public examination peacefully.
“Please don’t visit the examination centres unnecessarily. In case of urgency, please inform the centre secretary before visiting the centre,” he requested the local politicians and peoples representatives.
Terming copying a curse, Nahid said, “We want to stop 100 per cent copying.”
 Students those are thinking to pass the examination through copying should not go to the examination centres, Nahid said and suggested, “Enter the examination centres after complete preparation. We won’t allow adoption of unfair means in the examinations.”
About 5,87,540 students will sit for the HSC examination under the eight general education boards in 1,129 centres, while 74,413 under madrasa education board in 373 centres and 77,979 under the technical education board in 517 centres.
The number of HSC examinees and centres have increased by  1,14,149  and  100 respectively. Some 6,22,224 students took part in the last year’s HSC examination.
Replying to a question on power supply, he said, “Supply of electricity is our real problem. We have asked the authority concerned to try to ensure smooth supply of power during examinations.”
About 664 HSC students were expelled for adopting unfair means last year. No examinee passed from 41 educational institutions in HSC examinations last year.
Many poor students can’t appear in the public examinations for financial hardship, the minister said adding, “Our ministry is creating a fund so examination fees could be paid from the ministry’s fund for such students.”
The law enforcing agencies have imposed a ban on movement of people, excepting HSC candidates, within 200 yards of examination centres across the country during the HSC and equivalent examinations to ensure smooth holding of the examinations.
The restrictions will remain in force during the examination hours at all the centres across the country.
Among others, secretary of the ministry, chairmen of education boards and controllers of examinations attended the meeting.
 
Courtesy of The Independent