Students show greater interest

The number of students in technical and vocational institutions has increased by 64 percent in the last four years, which experts see as a positive sign due to their prospects of getting jobs.

Students sitting for the HSC equivalent exams under Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) have also done better than before, with higher pass rates and GPA-5 achievers, according to an analysis of the results published yesterday.

"We are encouraging students for vocational education. We see that things are changing," said Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, while briefing reporters on the results at the Secretariat yesterday.

Only 63,671 students had sat for the HSC equivalent exams under BTEB in 2010, but this year the number has risen to 1,04,587. Of them, 88,925 have passed and 6,393 achieved GPA-5.

Last year, the pass rate under the technical education board was 85.03. BTEB was the lone board whose pass rate had increased last year when the overall pass rate of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations had declined by 4.37 percent.

The trend remained almost unchanged this year, with 85.02 percent success rate, the second highest passing rate after the Madrasa Education Board under which 94.08 percent students passed. The pass rate in eight general education boards is 75.74.

Of the 1,570 technical institutions in the country, 178 achieved 100 percent success rate and none had zero percent pass rate.

"This is a very positive sign for us. Traditionally, people do not view technical and vocational education as being worthy, but now the perception has changed," said Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, chairman           of Palli Karma Shahayak          Foundation.

Bangladesh needs more technical people as its economy is                      growing, said the economist, adding that the education policy also had              the provision for technical education from class-VI, which would be                 gradually implemented in all              schools.

"One equipped with vocational training can have better prospects in jobs," he told The Daily Star.

MADRASA BOARD

Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board has topped the list of 10 education boards for the ninth consecutive year, with a pass rate of 94.08, which was 91.46 last year.

The number of examinees             and GPA-5 achievers has increased this year. A total of 1,05,849 students -- 63,017 male and 42,832 female --                sat for the Alim exams and 99,581 passed.

The pass percentage for boys and girls are 94.20 and 93.90.

Of the 6,025 GPA-5 achievers, 4,212 are male and 1,813 female.

Of the total 2,680 madrasas, 859 achieved 100 percent success rate and three had zero pass rate.

Darunnazatt Siddikia Kamil Madrasa of Dhaka topped the chart in Madrasa Board.