Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (Banbeis) data show that the ratio of science examinees in the SSC decreased by 14 percent in last 15 years.

Only 30 percent of the total SSC examinees came from science group in 2005 while the figure was 44 percent in 1991.

Introduced at the SSC level in 1998, business studies gained great popularity.

Twenty-eight percent of the total SSC examinees appeared from the business studies group last year whereas only seven percent examinees appeared from the same group in 1998.

Although some officials of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Directorate argued that the ratio of science students started declining after the introduction of business studies at SSC level in 1998, Banbeis statistics show that science students had already decreased by eight percent in seven years before the introduction of business studies.

The Banbeis statistics also show that the number of students in humanities group under the SSC was always high during the last 15 years while 40 percent of the total SSC examinees last year appeared from the group.

Banbais statistic gave more frustrating picture of the percentage of science students in the HSC examination compared to humanities and business education.

Only 23 percent of the HSC examinees last year appeared from science group while 49 and 27 percent students appeared from humanities and business education groups.

The ratio of science examinees in the HSC decreased by three percent in last 15 years while business education students increased by nine percent.

However, examinees from humanities group in the HSC also declined by five percent in last 15 years.

"It is really alarming that science students are decreasing in the country while science education is gaining much popularity all over the world for its better opportunities," eminent science teacher of the country Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology said.

The government is not giving proper support for spreading science education across the country, whereas it patronises spreading madrasa education, he said.

Zafar Iqbal pointed out lack of quality science teachers in schools and colleges as another reason for decline in the number of science students.

Even if the government takes initiative now to restore science students' previous ratio through ensuring quality teachers for schools and colleges, it will at least take six to eight years to reach the target, he observed.

Prof Dilara Hafiz, director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, also attributed the decline in the number of science students to the lack of quality science teachers in schools and colleges.

Besides, ensuring enough job opportunities in future will encourage students to study science at SSC and HSC levels, she said.

The government has taken initiatives to ensure quality science teachers for the schools and colleges, she said, adding that training has been made compulsory for all school and college teachers under a six-year-long project titled 'Teaching Quality Improvement Project' that started from March last year.

Dilara Hafiz hoped the newly formulated law that requires certificate of the Non-government Teachers Registration and Certification Authority for recruiting teachers in the non-government schools and colleges will also help to ensure the quality of science teachers.