99pc underprivileged students of Ucep get GPA-5

More than 300 underprivileged students have set an example for others by securing the highest grade in this year's SSC exams, and many of these students have had to work while continuing their studies.

This year, 307 students from five Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs (Ucep) Bangladesh's technical schools in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi and Sylhet appeared in the SSC vocational examination under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board.

Of them, 306 passed with 99.67 percent pass rate, and 303 obtained GPA-5.

“Ucep students have showed that 'Where there's a will, there's a way',” said the non-governmental organisation in a statement.

All of these students are from marginalised communities and most of them works for their livelihood, read the statement, adding, “Securing this type of result…is undoubtedly inspiring and motivating.” 

“The parents of our students are mostly rickshaw-pullers, street-vendors and day-labourers,” said Md Anowarul Islam, deputy programme officer of Ucep Dhaka.

Ucep Bangladesh is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation aiming to uplift the socio-economic conditions of underprivileged communities, which began its operations in 1972.

Annually Ucep serves more than 55,000 underprivileged children and youth. In 2015, about 13,000 completed their technical education and are now employed.