PEC exams will not be held centrally
Regular annual exams will be held at respective schools
The Primary Education Completion (PEC) and equivalent exams of this year will not be held centrally due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday approved the proposal sent by the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
The prime minister approved the cancellation of PEC and equivalent Ebtedayi Education Completion exams, said state minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain at a briefing on the same day.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
But there will be regular annual exams at schools, the state minister added.
"All educational institutions across the country may remain closed till September if the Covid-19 situation does not improve," Sheikh Hasina said on April 27.
In the proposal sent to the prime minister, the ministry said the students were not ready to take the exams.
"From January 1 to March 17, only 30-35 percent of the syllabus had been completed. At least 50 more working days are required to complete the syllabus," the proposal read.
Also, the ministry started broadcasting lessons for school students on Bangladesh Betar (radio) and Sangsad Bangladesh Television.
However, many students are not attending classes due to a lack of access to digital devices, costly internet packages, and poor internet connections.
Also, a large number of households do not have televisions.
On March 16, the government decided to keep all the educational institutions closed from March 17 to 31 to contain Covid-19.
Later, the education ministry extended the time of the closure till August 31.
