Primary School Students: Promote them without final exams this year

Primary school students will get promoted to the next classes without having to sit for final examinations while the teachers will evaluate students based on classes taken before the pandemic.

The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) yesterday issued letters to head teachers of all primary schools to take necessary steps for teachers to evaluate their students.

The letter, signed by DPE Director General Alamgir Muhammad Mansurul Alam, said the government has arranged education through television and radio, while teachers have also conducted virtual lessons.

Education officials were also involved in the process during the pandemic.

"Against this backdrop, the teachers are requested to take steps to evaluate their students," the letter said.

DPE Director of Policy and Operations Khalid Ahmed told The Daily Star that all primary students will be promoted to higher classes without exams.

The government has extended the closure of all educational institutions until December 19 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government closed all schools on March 17. Academic activities of around four crore students are being affected due to the pandemic.

The long closure has led to cancellation of exams and left academic calendars in disarray.

This year's Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent exams, Primary Education Completion and its equivalent exams, and Junior School Certificate and equivalent exams got cancelled.

In place of HSC exams, candidates will be evaluated based on their results in JSC and SSC tests.

More than one crore students of classes 6 to 9 will be promoted to the next classes this year without any annual examinations, the government announced. Instead, school authorities will give assignments to students.

The government launched educational programmes on Sangsad TV for primary students on April 7, and for technical and madrasa students on April 19 to help them make up for the losses due to the closure of educational institutions.