Schools might be closured if Covid situation worsens: Minister

Educational institutions might be shut down again if the Covid-19 situation deteriorates in the country, said Education Minister Dipu Moni while visiting a Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam hall in Dhaka Thursday.

On the first day of HSC and equivalent examinations, she also expressed satisfaction over the presence of the examinees and said the exams were being held in a peaceful manner.

Some 14 lakh examinees – 34,000 more compared to last year – sat for the examinations at 2,621 centres, from 9,183 institutes under the 11 educational boards across the country.

Of them, 729,738 are boys and 669,952 are girls.

Dipu Moni said there is no chance of question paper leak in HSC examinations this year.

She warned that stern action will be taken if anyone is found involved in spreading rumours or engaged in illegal activities like leaking question papers.

The results of HSC and its equivalent examinations will be published within 30 days after the tests end on 30 December, she said.

She also said that the HSC examinations-2022 are expected to be held in the middle of the year.

"As we have been successful in tackling Covid, next year's SSC and HSC exams will not be delayed that much. Those might be held in mid-2022," she added.

Due to the pandemic situation, this year's HSC tests are being held only on group-wise elective subjects with shortened syllabuses.

Last year, the results of HSC examinees were determined on the basis of their previous SSC and JSC equivalent exams results while students of other classes got promoted to the next classes automatically.

The government also took this year's Secondary School Certificate (SSC), and equivalent exams on group-wise elective subjects with shortened syllabuses.