SSC exams must be held in December, loud and clear: Education Minister

SSC exams must be held in December, loud and clear: Education Minister

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon has once again expressed his thoughts on holding public examinations such as SSC and HSC within the January-December academic year.

Speaking at a press conference at the Education Ministry's conference room at the Secretariat on Monday afternoon, April 20, he said the government is trying to fully implement the January-December session.

The minister said there are plans to hold examinations at a more appropriate and earlier time in the coming years so that students do not waste a year.

In recent years, SSC and equivalent examinations have been held in February, and HSC and equivalent examinations in April. However, that system was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic under the previous government. This year, SSC will be held in April and HSC in July.

"If the session is January to December, we want to complete the examinations by December. One year is wasted for SSC and another year for HSC. We want to utilise this time," the education minister said.

When asked whether education boards are ready or capable of holding another SSC examination in December, the minister said the question is whether the Education Ministry or they are ready. He criticised education board officials for taking eight bonuses.

Asked from which year December SSC examinations will be introduced, he said each examination will be held when it is supposed to be held.

The education minister further said, "SSC exams must be held in December, loud and clear. If the examination is not held in December, boards will be punished. If teachers cannot complete it, they will be punished."

Earlier, on March 25, the Education Ministry had issued a notification stating that it was working to prepare a series of reform measures, including assessing the feasibility of completing SSC and HSC examinations by December 31 each year to save valuable time from students' academic lives.