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Bad English and math scores bend the curve downward in grades V, VIII results
After the debacle in the results of SSC and HSC tests due to strict evaluation, pass rates in exams of grades V and VIII have also dropped sharply this year. The fifth graders’ scores in mathematics, English and Arabic papers dropped from last year while English, mathematics and science papers dealt a blow to the eighth graders. Pass rates in Primary Education Completion or PEC and Ebtedayee exams for the fifth graders this year are 95.18 percent and 92.94 percent respectively, according to the results published on December 30. The number of GPA-5 scorers has dropped to 267,632 from 287,846. The number of eighth-grade GPA-5 scorers also dropped to 191,628 from 247,558. After receiving copies of the results on Saturday morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “The pass rate fell slightly this year, maybe because you are more alert now. I hope it will rise again in the future.” Inter-education board coordination subcommittee Exam Controller Tapan Kumar Sarker told that the drop in pass rates in English, math and science papers impacted the overall results. The pass rate in the board’s English paper slumped to 70.70 percent from 92.08 percent, math to 82.46 percent from 97.05 percent and science paper pass rate dropped to 91.18 percent from 99.36 percent. The government came under heavy criticism this year as the test papers of the fifth and eighth graders were leaked and sold on WhatsApp while some were distributed free on websites like Facebook. “These (exams) are unnecessary. These public exams are creating pressure on the children. This is a sick competition. Exams should be held grade-wise where the children can learn in a happy environment,” Dhaka University Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam said.
Source: BDNews24