Female students have secured slight better pass rate, at 87.71 percent, than their male counterparts at the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent exams for 2022, as in the previous year. The SSC pass rate of male students is 87.16 percent. Education Minister Dipu Moni shared detailed information on this year’s SSC results during a press conference at International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka on Monday noon. Read: Don’t be obsessed with a few famous schools: PM to parents of SSC-passing students This year, 17,43,619 students -- 8,70,046 boys and 8,73,573 girls -- from 29,639 institutes under 11 education boards in the country successfully passed the SSC and equivalents exams. Girls also ahead in achieving GPA-5 A total of 2,69,602 students across the country have scored GPA-5. Among them, 1,21,156 are male students and 1,48,446 female. Read: SSC Results 2022: Jashore Board’s pass rate 95.17%, highest in country This year, more than 20 lakh students took part in SSC and equivalent examinations. Of them, 15.99 lakh were from nine general education boards, 2.68 lakh under the Madrasa Education Board, and 1.53 lakh under the Technical Education Board. SSC and equivalent examinations began across the country on September 15.

The period covered by the pandemic has witnessed another epidemic, child marriage, returning to some areas of Bangladesh as educational institutes were closed to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Poor families in the country's hinterland, who once were convinced to send their children to school by the school meals program eased the burden on them to feed.    However, the covid-19 is contained or not during this period, the education of the girl students has been stopped due to child marriage. Especially in Kurigram, the rate of child marriage is increasing rapidly, cannot be contained in any way. The girl students of this area are now living in their husband's houses at an early age. Read: Child marriage rates soar in Cox's Bazar in the shadow of pandemic More than 500 schoolgirls belonging to 43 educational institutions of Fulbari Upazila were married off during this pandemic, confirmed Upazila Secondary Education Officer Md Abdul Hai. The highest number of child marriages were reported of students in the Borovita Girls' High School and Borovita High School in Borovita union of the upazila. Around 87 girls in Borovita Girls' High School and 55 girls including three SSC examinees in Borovita High School have been the victim of child marriage, said the headmasters of the schools. Read Initiative launched to end child marriage in Bangladesh Md Matiur Rahman Khandaker, the headmaster of Borovita Girls' High School said, "Based on preliminary information, we have received data of marriages of 87 students of 6th to 10th grade and SSC candidates."  Of course, it was not possible to go to every house and get information about the marriage. In many cases, the news has been confirmed by classmates and neighbours. "However, the actual number may increase further," said the headmaster. Read Patuakhali child marriage: case filed against UP chairman and five others He also said the Upazila Secondary Education Officer has been informed through a detailed letter containing names and other information.

Two girl students -- both cousins -- of a government school in Kushtia have tested positive for Covid. The IX and X graders of Khoksa Janipur Pilot Girls' School in Kushtia Sadar underwent Covid-19 tests on Saturday after they showed symptoms of the virus -- fever and sore throat. The results came a day later. Read: Five girl students contract Covid in Thakurgaon school Headmistress Salma Khatun said that the two girl students -- both cousins -- probably contracted coronavirus at home as some of their family members "are down with Covid". "All students of our school may have to undergo tests for Covid," she told UNB. Akmal Hossain, the guardian of the ninth grader, also admitted that six members of their family are Covid-positive. Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Kamruzzaman said that they can arrange Covid tests for free if the school authorities want the same for their students. Read: Schoolgirl dies with Covid symtomps in Manikganj Upazila Secondary Education Officer Nazmul Haque said that the information has been conveyed to the Health Ministry in Dhaka. On September 22, within two weeks of the reopening of schools in the country, a primary school in Gopalganj’s Kathalipara upazila closed its doors for class three students after one of their classmates tested positive for Covid-19. A day later in Manikganj, an eighth-grader, who had been suffering from suspected Covid symptoms of fever, sore throat and shortness of breath, died. Read: Class postponed as student gets Covid in Gopalganj On September 24, it was reported that five students of classes IV and V at a primary school in Thakurgaon sadar upazila tested positive for Covid. On September 12, after nearly 18 months, primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools in Bangladesh reopened with some Covid-safety protocols in place.