GPA-5 galore in JSC exams

They were all smiles and flashing the V sign at Rajuk Uttara Model School and College yesterday as their school topped the chart in the JSC exams. Photo: Rashed Shumon

The number of GPA-5 achievers has tripled at this year's Junior School Certificate (JSC) examinations, with 82.67 percent of the young learners coming out successful.
The pass rate rose by 11 percentage points from 71.34 percent last year, when the examination was first introduced.
The results published yesterday show a total of 12,31,880 students -- 5,84,343 boys and 6,47,537girls -- under eight general education boards passing the JSC examinations. The number of failed students came down to 2,58,165 from last year's 3,30,261.
The pass rate in Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) examinations under Madrasa Education Board is 88.71 percent, up from last year's 81.03 percent.
Combined results of JSC and JDC examinations rose to 83.71 percent from last year's 73.04 percent.
A total of 29,838 JSC students -- 14,895 boys and 14,943 girls -- secured the highest grade point average (GPA)-5. Last year, 8,052 achieved the distinction in the examinations that were introduced for class VIII students.
The highest 12,021 students got GPA-5 from Dhaka Board.
In terms of pass rate, boys did better than girls even though the number of girl examinees was higher than the boys'. The pass rate among boys is 83.91 percent while it is 81.59 among girls.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid briefed journalists on the results at 3:00pm at his secretariat office. The results were formally handed over to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at 12:30pm.
“Compared with last year, we are better off this year in terms of all indicators, like number of students, pass rate, GPA-5 achievers, and the institutions achieving cent percent pass rate, thereby indicating an improvement in the education sector,” the education minister said.
Apart from students' hard work and relentless efforts expended by teachers and guardians, various government steps, notably timely distribution of textbooks to the students for free, broadcasting classes of the best teachers of the capital countrywide through BTV and giving stipends helped raise the pass rate, he added.
Asked whether the failed students would be allowed to enrol in class IX, he said the authorities would make the decision after analysing the results.
A total of 342 out of 384 JSC students who took the test from seven overseas centres came out successful. Of them, 33 obtained GPA-5.
Teachers and educational officials said doing better in English and mathematics, students' awareness of the examinations through taking preparations from the very beginning of their academic year, and training programmes for teachers have contributed to such success.
“This year, fewer students have failed in English and mathematics, which is one of the main reasons for the record pass rate and also for the record number of GPA-5 scorers,” Prof Fahima Khatun, chairman of Dhaka Education Board, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Under Dhaka Board, over 85 percent students passed in English and 87 percent in mathematics, she said, adding that the numbers were between 70 and 75 percent last year.
Besides, she added, “Identifying subject-wise weaknesses of the students, we took initiatives to take special classes that also contributed to the result.”
Many students failed last year out of fear of sitting for a public examination for the first time in their lives, she said, adding that students now felt more confident.
Eight educational institutions outside the capital secured positions among this year's top 20 institutions. Last year, only four institutions from outside Dhaka were on the list.
However, all the top 20 institutions are either in the metropolitan area or inside the municipality.
Rajuk Uttara Model School and College in the capital has topped the best 20 list of institutions while Ideal School and College in Motijheel have become second. Mirzapur Cadet College, Tangail, became third.
The government made the list of the top 20 institutions on the basis of five factors -- rate of regular examinees, pass rate, number of GPA-5 achievers, number of students, and average GPA of the institution.
Prof Bimal Krishna Mazumder, chairman of Barisal Education Board, which has topped all the education boards in terms of the pass rate as last year, said students got more time for preparations since the examination was held for the second time this year.
The highest 93.13 percent examinees passed from Barisal Board. Chittagong Board is at the bottom with 72.65 percent pass rate while Dhaka Board stands the fifth with 81.45 percent pass rate.
"Last year, the education boards as well as the students were in the dark about the examination even six months before the exam. That is why the students could not prepare themselves properly,” Bimal Krishna said.
But this year, he added, the students started their preparation from January while the teachers guided them properly. Moreover, the questions were not hard.
Pass rates in English and mathematics in his board rose by more than 10 percent to 94 and 93 percent respectively, which is another reason why Barisal Board has topped the list.
Some 15,38,640 students from 18,484 schools, including those who failed in three subjects last year, had registered for the test this year. Of them, 14,90,045 did not show up in the exam halls.
The number of schools with cent percent pass rate rose to 1,827. No student from 107 schools passed this year.
The examinations began on November 1 and ended on November 21. Students took tests in nine subjects.
Many of the jubilant students who had been suffering from a case of nerves for the last couple of days had to wait for the results till late afternoon.
A number of students and guardians called this correspondent to know the results.