Govt plans support for students failing SSC exams: Mahdi Amin

Prime Minister's Adviser for Education and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin today said the government is formulating a permanent action plan to support students who fail to achieve expected results or are unsuccessful in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations.

Under the directive of the Prime Minister, the plan will include technical training, language education, seed funding for small businesses and if necessary, an opportunity to retake failed subjects within three months, he said.

Mahdi Amin made the remarks while addressing the 'Challenged Students Convention 2026' as the chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon.

Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) and Plan International Bangladesh jointly organised the convention, chaired by CAMPE Executive Director Rasheda K. Chowdhury.

Mahdi Amin said around 6.90 lakh students had failed to achieve their expected results in this year's SSC examinations, stressing that academic performance should not determine their future.

He said students interested in technical and vocational education would be connected with local Technical Training Centres (TTCs), while those with promising business or innovative ideas could receive seed funding to start small businesses.

Short-term language courses lasting three to six months in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and European languages would also be introduced to help skilled workers explore international employment opportunities, he added.

Regarding the proposal to allow students to retake failed subjects within three months instead of waiting a year, Mahdi Amin said the government was considering it positively and hoped that changes would be introduced soon.

He said poor examination results could stem from various factors, including financial hardship, teacher shortages, inadequate classrooms and family problems. The government was working to address these challenges, he added.

"Life cannot be judged on the basis of certificates. Performing poorly in one subject does not diminish anyone's talent or creativity," he said.