SSC Exam Begins with Lowest Number of Students in Five Years

Staff Correspondent

This year’s SSC and equivalent examinations started on Thursday, April 10, with the lowest number of students in five years. Education experts attribute this decline to poverty and school dropouts, stating that students who fail to return to education within three years are considered “dropouts.”

Under the nine general education boards, 1,490,931 students are participating this year, including 701,953 male and 788,978 female students. The Madrasa Education Board has 294,726 candidates, with 150,893 males and 143,833 females. The Technical Education Board includes 143,313 candidates, comprising 108,385 males and 34,928 females.

The first day of the SSC exam featured the Bangla First Paper. A total of 1,928,970 students from 30,045 schools and madrasas are sitting for the exams under 11 education boards across 3,715 centers. The examinations will continue until May 13.

Compared to last year, there are 95,222 fewer candidates. Statistics show a steady decline in the number of candidates over the years: 2,024,192 in 2024, 2,072,163 in 2023, 1,994,137 in 2022, and 2,240,395 in 2021.

Education experts emphasize that this reduction in candidate numbers is not a natural process. Many students do not appear for board exams despite registering in the ninth grade due to poverty, child marriage, illness, or poor performance in preparatory tests. Some eventually participate as irregular candidates.

Acting Principal of Ideal School and College Mohammad Ferdaus stated, “Not all ninth-grade registrants take the board exams. Many drop out for various reasons over two years. When the average absence exceeds three years, it is considered a dropout.”

School heads note that dropout rates remain an issue. Earlier, stipends encouraged enrollment, but the current stipend amounts are insufficient to motivate students and parents. Rising living costs have forced many families to engage their children in work.

Additionally, enrollment in Ebtedayee and Alia madrasas has declined as students opt for Hifz programs or move to Qawmi madrasas, reducing participation in mainstream education.

Economic pressures and other factors have led to a significant drop in this year’s SSC candidate numbers.