79 students, 5 teachers expelled

This SSC examinee of Viquarunnessa Noon School is in tears as severe traffic congestion delayed her arrival at the Motijheel Government Boys' High School exam centre.Photo: STAR

A total of 5,780 candidates were absent on the first day of Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Dakhil and SSC vocational examinations while 79 students and five teachers were expelled for resorting to unfair means.
Among the expelled students 43 are from Technical Education Board, seven from Madrasa Board, eight from Dinajpur Board, five each from Barisal and Comilla Board, four from Dhaka Board, three from Chittagong Board, two from Rajshahi Board, and one each from Jessore and Sylhet Board.
The expelled teachers include two from Jessore Board and one each from Dhaka, Dinajpur and Madrasa Board, a statistics of the combined education board control room said.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid visited some SSC and Dakhil examination centres in the capital.
After visiting Mohammadpur Govt High School, Mohammadpur Kaderia Taiyabiya Kamil Madrasa, Mirpur Bangladesh-German Technical Training Centre, Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Girls' Technical Training Centre and Dhanmondi Government Boys High School, the minister said they are committed to improving the quality of education in the country.
He urged teachers, employees and law enforcement agencies to perform their duties with honesty and dignity.
The month-long SSC, Dakhil and SSC vocational examinations for 2009 began yesterday under eight education boards, one madrasa board and one technical education board. Some 10.63 lakh students -- 5.58 lakh boys and 5.05 lakh girls --from 26,239 schools are taking part in the SSC and equivalent examinations.
Around 50,000 more candidates are taking part in this year's SSC and equivalent exams though the dropout rate remains high, 42 percent.