Education
Next year SSC in Apr, HSC in June: Dipu Moni
SSC and HSC exams in 2023 will be held in April and June, respectively, based on a shortened syllabus just like this academic session, Education Minister Dipu Moni said on Tuesday.
"SSC and equivalent exams in 2023 will be held following the 2022 academic session's syllabus. Similarly, HSC and equivalent exams of 2023 will be held according to the syllabus fixed on 180 working days," she told reporters at the secretariat.
Also read: SSC exams likely from June 19, HSC from Aug 22
The education minister said that the exams will encompass all subjects and evaluated on full marks.
This year’s SSC and HSC exams are slated to begin from June 19 and August 22, respectively, with a shortened syllabus.
According to the government's academic calendar, SSC exams are held from February 1 and HSC from April 1 every year. However, these exams were not held on time in the past two years due to Covid-19.
However, the decision on holding JSC exams this year is yet to be taken, said Dipu.
She said,” It will take a month and a half more to take a decision in this regard as we will need to asses many logistics.”
She said it seems tough to hold JSC and equivalent exams until now as boards will remain busy in publishing results for this year‘s SSC, HSC exams to be held on June, August this year.
Dipu further said the annual exams will be held at schools and student will need to prepare for that. For last two years JSC exams were not held. JSC exams stand abolished from next year.
Also read: SSC, HSC exams in June-August, syllabuses re-revised
The SSC examinees of 2023 will be able to participate in a total of 162 days of class activities, including lessons of class nine and ten if class activities continue till December this year. Normally they would have had 316 days of class activities to participate in, she said.
However, they have attended online classes, submitted assignments following revised syllabus for examinees of 2022 based on class activities of 15 days and so their examinations will be taken following it, said the minister.
Meanwhile, HSC and equivalent examinees of 2023 could not attend physical classes for 8 months so their examination will be held based on syllabus fixed for 2022 based on 180 days of class activity, she added.
24-day Eid vacation starts at CU from April 17
A 24-day summer and Eid-ul-Fitr vacation will begin at Chittagong University from April 17.
The academic activities of the university will resume on May 11, said a press release of the university signed by Deputy Registrar SM Akbar Hossain on Monday.
Also read: Eid: Govt employees to get salaries, allowances within April 25
The residential halls will remain open during the vacation, it said.
Classes of all departments will remain suspended during this period on the occasion of Eid-u-Fitr, Shab-e-Qdar and May Day.
However, the administrative activities will continue, said SM Manirul Hasan, acting registrar of the university.
Also read: No launch ticket without NID cards during Eid: Khalid
No decision yet on 100% festival bonus to pvt educational institute teachers: Dipu Moni
The government is yet to take a call on doling out 100% festival bonus to private educational institute teachers in Bangladesh, education minister Dipu Moni said on Friday.
"We have to weigh our financial capacity before taking a decision on the issue. Anyway, we will see what we can do,” she told reporters during her visit to Chandpur.
Also read: Dovetailing higher and technical education needed: Dipu Moni
“When we are working to develop the quality of education in the country, we must ensure the social and financial security of teachers. Otherwise it will be a futile effort," Dipu Moni said.
Chandpur deputy commissioner Anjana Khan Mojlish, SP Md Milon Mahmud and other senior administrative officials, along with local ruling party politicians, were present at the media briefing.
Also read: Focus on technical education to reduce unemployment: Dipu Moni
Cluster admission tests to be held in 32 universities in 2021-22 session: UGC
Cluster admission tests will be held in 32 public universities in 2021-22 academic year.
This year admission tests will be held under cluster system in three more universities-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University, Kishoreganj, Chandpur Science and Technology University, Habiganj Agricultural University, said University Grants Commission (UGC) in a press release on Thursday.
The schedule for the admission tests will be informed at the Bangladesh University Council’s meeting on Friday and exam centers this year will be arranged in colleges if necessary.
The decisions were taken at a view-exchange meeting of UGC with the Vice Chancellors of the universities on Thursday.
UGC chairman Dr Dil Afroz Begum presided over the meeting in presence of 36 university VCs and their representatives.
Last year, admission test was held in 29 universities under three clusters- general, science and technology and agriculture.
Over 55% pass MBBS admission test in Bangladesh
The results of the 2021-22 admission test for the MBBS course at the country’s public and private medical colleges have been published.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque announced the results at a press briefing held at the health directorate on Tuesday noon.
Also read:MBBS admission test held Friday
A total of 79,337 candidates (55.13 per cent), 44,504 (56.09 %) girls and 34,833 (43.91%) boys, passed the test this year, nearly seven times the number of available seats.
There are a total of 10,839 seats, including 4,350 at 37 public medical colleges and 6,489 at 72 private medical colleges, across the country.
The results are available on the DGHS site.
Also read:HC turns down writ seeking cancellation of MBBS admission test results
A total of 139,742 aspirants took the admission test this year, held at 57 venues across 19 centers on April 1.
The successful candidates will get the chance to get enrolled first at public medical colleges and then at private ones on the basis of merit.
IU teachers decline to take combined admission test this year
The Islamic University Teachers’ Association has refused to take the combined admission test under 2021-22 academic session of the university.
The teachers would not participate in any activities of the upcoming intake tests if the university administration took the admission under combined admission process, said the association at a press conference on Sunday.
In a written statement, IUTA general secretary Professor M Jahangir Hossain said that Islamic University should take the admission test under its previous system as it’s an autonomous university.
Read: BCL dissolves Islamic University unit committee
The university has a unique faculty, theology and Islamic studies faculty, and there were no such faculty in other public universities in the country.
Considering this IUTA decided not to take part in the combined admission test any more.
They requested the university authorities to take the entry test under its previous system.
IUTA president Professor M Mizanur Rahman said that the cluster admission process failed to meet its target of reducing hassles faced by the admission seekers and their guardians as well.
The admission process, however, created diverse problems for the admission seekers. ‘We informed the university authorities regarding the matter through submitting a written statement.
IU Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said he agrees to the teachers’ demands. The university authorities will discuss the issue at next meeting, scheduled in a few days.
MBBS admission test held Friday
The 2021-22 admission test for the country's medical colleges was held on Friday.
The test was held at a total of 57 venues in 19 centers across the country, including the capital from 10 am to 11 am.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque inspected the examination centre at Arts Building of Dhaka University at 10 am.
Read: HC: Only MBBS, BDS holders can use 'Dr' before their names
After the inspection, the minister said that enough preparations were taken to prevent any leakage of question. The high alert will remain until publication of results.
Some people tried to spread rumors through social media about the leakage of question papers by creating fake question papers. Two people were also arrested earlier in this connection, he added.
This year, a total of 1,43,915 students sat for the exam, against 4,350 seats available. Among them, 61,678 candidates participated in Dhaka city only.
RU says yes to second-time admission seekers
Rajshahi University (RU) Thursday decided to give the second-time admission seekers the chance to sit for the admission test in the upcoming 2021-22 academic session.
The decision was taken at the meeting of the admission test sub-committee, with RU vice-chancellor Professor Golam Sabbir Sattar, said RU student adviser Professor M Tareq Nur.
He said the university had decided to allow the second-time admission seekers to sit for the entry tests considering the Covid-19 outbreak.
However, there would be no such opportunity from next year, Professor Tareq Nur added.
According to the decision of the admission test sub-committee, the online preliminary application process for undergraduate courses for the 2021-22 session will begin on May 25 and will continue till June 9.
And the admission tests will be held on July 24-27 in three units.
Earlier in 2018, RU allowed students to sit for its undergraduate admission tests only once.
Dovetailing higher and technical education needed: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Tuesday pitched for the harmonisation of higher education and vocational training as National Parliament passed a bill for establishing a new science and technology university in Pirojpur.
Urging people to shed the misconception that vocational training is only for the "less intelligent" and those from the marginal families, she outlined her Ministry's efforts in working towards the development of technical institutes in the country.
"The Education Ministry is working towards establishing technical education colleges, vocational institutes and science and technology universities in important cities and districts to impart soft skills and technical knowledge on the youth," she said.
Also read: Parliament passes bill to set up science & tech university in Pirojpur
Dipu Moni introduced the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University Pirojpur
Bill, 2022, in Parliament and it was passed with a voice vote.
She also told the Parliament that vice-chancellors of public universities are appointed based on three criteria -- academic excellence, contribution in research, and leadership experience in teachers’ associations and administrative post-holding experience.
“Though we want highly qualified people in the vice-chancellor's post in universities, many refuse to hold the position considering the administrative burden,” she said. "Despite objections against the activities of some VCs of public universities, almost all are doing their duties properly."
Also read: Be ready to fight if enemy attacks peace-loving Bangladesh, PM urges armed forces
Earlier in the day, the Parliament session began with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. After the bill was passed, the session was postponed till Wednesday 11am.
CU students lock main gate protesting attack on student ‘by BCL men’
Students of Chattogram University on Monday locked its main gate demanding justice for a Law Department student who was injured in an attack allegedly by some Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists.
The students took position at the zero point area of the CU campus at 1 pm and staged demonstrations seeking justice.
According to the protesting students, Kafil Uddin Sami, a first year student of the law Department, was severely beaten by some members of BCL’s shuttle train based sub group named ‘Sixty Nine’ in front of the CU medical center on Sunday noon.
Also read: 7 protesters arrested from DU for demanding 2nd admission test
“Kafil suffered injuries on his head as they beat him up with iron rod and bricks. He was rushed to the university’s medical center and later shifted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital,” said one of the protesting students.
The students vowed to continue their protest until they get justice.
Also read: Protests held at DU over BSMRUST student attack
Meanwhile, Dr Shahidul Islam, Assistant Proctor of CU said they are yet to receive any written complaint from the students but they are inquiring about it.
“We had discussion with students and assured them of justice,” he said.