Government justifies holding primary school scholarship exams

Government justifies holding primary school scholarship exams

Aug 2, 2025 - 17:12
 0
Government justifies holding primary school scholarship exams
Government justifies holding primary school scholarship exams

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has addressed recent criticisms of the Government Primary School Scholarship Examination, clarifying that the initiative is exclusively for class five students studying in government primary schools.

The clarification follows concerns raised by the Bangladesh Kindergarten Unity Council at a recent press conference. The ministry emphasized that the exam is part of broader efforts to improve the quality of public primary education and support students from low-income families.

Referencing national education survey findings, the ministry noted that government primary schools serve a significant number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, while kindergarten students are generally from more affluent families.

“The Government Primary School Scholarship Examination is more than an assessment—it is a financial aid initiative aimed at helping underprivileged students continue their education,” the ministry stated.

It further highlighted that kindergartens, through their own associations, already conduct separate scholarship exams for students from class two to five under the “Kindergarten Association Scholarship Examination” program.

As government school students are not allowed to participate in those exams, many parents have long demanded a similar scholarship mechanism for public school students.

In response to allegations of discrimination, the ministry pointed to Article 17(a) of the Constitution and the 1990 Compulsory Primary Education Act, which mandate free and compulsory primary education for all children. It also clarified that public-private partnership (PPP) policies do not extend to the primary education sector.

“Parents who choose to enroll their children in private kindergartens do so voluntarily,” the ministry added.

Concluding its statement, the ministry dismissed accusations of discrimination as unfounded, reiterating that the scholarship exam is designed to equitably support all eligible public school students, particularly those in financial need.

What's Your Reaction?

like

dislike

love

funny

angry

sad

wow