Examophobia tearing apart Bangladesh’s education system

On Tuesday (17 June), a striking scene unfolded at Dhaka's Science Lab intersection, where two groups of students stood face-to-face.

One group were voicing their demands, arguing that holding the HSC and equivalent examinations amid the nationwide spread of a new Covid-19 variant and a rising number of dengue cases was "inhumane" due to the significant health risks. They called for an immediate postponement of the exams.

In contrast, the other group insisted that the exams be held as scheduled. However, they were significantly outnumbered, both in presence and in volume, by those demanding a postponement.

Shamim Hasan, a student who joined the movement to delay the exams, said, "The current Covid situation shows no signs of improvement; in fact, it's steadily getting worse. If the HSC exams are held now, the infection rate will undoubtedly rise further."

At that very moment, Habibul Islam, a student advocating for the exams to proceed as scheduled, interjected, "Won't gathering like this on the streets also contribute to the spread of the coronavirus? Besides, everything else in the country is running as usual. So why should we suffer unnecessarily from exam delays? Postponing the exams will also cut into our preparation time for university admission tests."

However, his remarks were quickly drowned out by loud chants and shouts from students holding opposing views.

This movement to postpone the exams scheduled to begin from 26 June didn't emerge overnight, nor is it limited to Dhaka city. For several days, students unwilling to sit for the exams have been staging protests with similar demands in various locations across the country, including divisional cities like Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet.

Beyond their physical demonstrations, the movement has also gained momentum online. Students have created multiple Facebook groups dedicated to the cause, where they actively work to shape public opinion in favour of a postponement. 

It's now common to see coordinated comments under Facebook and YouTube posts or news articles related to the HSC exams, all echoing their demand to delay the tests. Some have even gone so far as to call for an "auto-pass."

"Over the past few years, exams have been held on reduced syllabuses. Last year, a new curriculum with a different assessment system was introduced at the school level. Altogether, these changes have eroded the seriousness students once associated with exams. Many have simply grown tired of them."

Syed Nazmus Sakib, senior teacher, Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College

Such demands — to postpone, reduce syllabus, or grant auto-passes in public examinations — have become increasingly frequent in recent years, with the most notable instance coming last year. 

In the aftermath of the July mass uprising, HSC candidates launched a vigorous demonstration demanding an auto-pass for the 2024 exams, which had been suspended due to the unrest.

They argued that the protests had caused significant trauma and disruption, leaving many students physically and emotionally scarred. Although the interim government was initially hesitant, it eventually yielded to the pressure and granted their demands.

Furthermore, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the then-government granted an auto-pass for the HSC examinations in 2020. From 2021 to 2024, both the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and HSC exams — as well as their equivalents — were conducted based on a shortened syllabus. The upcoming HSC examination is also set to follow a rearranged syllabus.

All things considered, it's fair to say that a strong aversion to exams, or even a form of examophobia, is currently at play among students across the country. 

This sentiment isn't rooted solely in the disruption of public examinations over the past five years; it's also been reinforced by recent precedents where the government gave in to demands following intense street protests. The ongoing calls for postponements or auto-passes are, in many ways, a manifestation of the mindset shaped by this combination of academic inconsistency and protest-driven concessions.

Syed Nazmus Sakib, a senior teacher at Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College, noted that HSC candidates are all teenagers, which is an age marked by passion and heightened emotion. He believes many students are currently operating under the assumption that collective protests can compel the government to meet any demand. 

However, he pointed out that not all students support the call for postponement. "The protests have become so intense that those who wish to sit for the exams as scheduled often don't dare to speak up."

Sakib further explained that several factors have contributed to students' growing detachment from public examinations. "Over the past few years, exams have been held on reduced syllabuses. Last year, a new curriculum with a different assessment system was introduced at the school level. Altogether, these changes have eroded the seriousness students once associated with exams. Many have simply grown tired of them," he added.

However, Sakib believes that private university students could serve as a model for HSC candidates. "During the height of the July movement, they too took to the streets. But once the protests subsided, they returned to their classrooms. All students should have done the same," he said.

He further emphasised the crucial role of teachers and educational institutions in this context. According to him, authorities must engage directly with the protesting students, listen to their concerns, and, through dialogue, help them understand the value of examinations. 

"It's important to make them realise that repeatedly resorting to street protests is not a sustainable or advisable approach," he added.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr Tariq Manzoor of the Bengali Department at Dhaka University noted that there have been numerous instances throughout history where exams were postponed or suspended due to wars, pandemics, and other disasters. In some special cases, exams were even cancelled outright, with students being automatically passed. 

However, he emphasised that such decisions are typically made by the government or the Ministry of Education. The recent trend of students themselves frequently raising demands for postponements or cancellations is a new development.

Professor Manzoor attributes much of this trend to examophobia, which he believes largely stems from inadequate preparation. He holds both educational planners and teachers partly responsible for this situation. Nevertheless, he stressed that not all students are opposed to exams. 

"Therefore, before implementing any nationwide decisions like exam cancellations or auto-passes, the Ministry of Education should seek to verify the opinions of the examinees," he said.

He also suggested that, with the use of software, it is possible to gauge the views of a large number of students quickly and efficiently.

Professor Manzoor then went on to explain that examinations assess a wide range of student competencies. Without holding exams, it becomes impossible to properly evaluate these skills. While a certificate might allow students to progress to the next academic level, it does little to prepare them for the realities of the job market. 

"Students will only fully understand this once they enter the competitive workforce. It is then that they will realise demanding reduced syllabuses or auto-passes was a mistake," he said.

Many are already beginning to realise this. We spoke with an HSC candidate from 2020 who wished to remain anonymous. Their exams were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and their results were determined based on their JSC and SSC performances.

The student from a science background shared, "After university classes started, many people would make fun of us. We somehow tolerated it. But if we struggled to understand a lecture, the professors would also mock us. Now, I'm interning at an office, and even here, my senior colleagues don't miss a chance to poke fun."

Meanwhile, Tashahud Ahamed Rafim, a student of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, shared that some unique challenges have emerged. For example, when applying for visas or higher studies, there's often concern about whether others find out about their situation. 

"However, many have overcome this and are pursuing undergraduate studies abroad, so I don't believe it will be a significant issue. But it could certainly affect other areas, like job exams. In those cases, there's greater pressure to prove oneself, since the authorities are aware of the circumstances," Rafim added. 

Sabbir Ahmed Chowdhury, assistant professor at the Institute of Education and Research (IER), observed that the examination crisis in the country's education system, which began in 2020, has remained unresolved. 

The education researcher questioned why Bangladesh is still struggling with the Covid-19 situation that first emerged over five years ago. Highlighting that UNESCO provided clear guidelines for managing such emergencies at the time, he lamented, "We haven't been able to implement any of them yet."

He further argued that issues like floods and dengue are perennial in Bangladesh, with "something or the other happening all 12 months of the year." However, he stressed that public examinations shouldn't be suspended or postponed unless an unprecedented pandemic-like situation arises. 

He advised the government to establish a fixed academic calendar and adhere to it strictly from now on. According to him, by repeatedly yielding to pressure from movements, the government has allowed things to spiral out of control. "Now is the time to rein it in," he asserted.

Chowdhury also added that, rather than focusing solely on the issue of postponing the HSC exams, a more pressing issue that deserves attention is the dropout rate among examinees.

This year, around 425,000 students, roughly one-fourth of the total HSC students, have dropped out. Many have entered the workforce early due to poverty, while others have been married off at a young age.

"There has been no comprehensive, data-driven research yet to identify other factors contributing to this trend. Policymakers must now prioritise investigating and addressing these issues," he urged.