Bad days ahead for Rajshahi coaching centres

This follows a recent directive from the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education in view of allegations of booming coaching centre business by a section of teachers of reputed schools, sources said.

Allegations have it that the teachers ignore their responsibilities at schools and run coaching centres, giving admission guarantee to students.

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The admission test for 755 seats in Class One, Three and Six at different government schools in the city will be held at the same time with same questions, the sources said.

All admission seekers would have to face a written test of 100 marks. Successful candidates will be distributed among different schools in accordance with their merit and choice. The authorities concerned have already ordered collection of application forms for admission test from Laboratory School from December 28 and January 7.

The move has drawn a mixed reaction from the schoolteachers and guardians.

Some teachers and guardians hailed the decision, saying it will check the "flourishing coaching center business" while some others apprehended "irregularities and increase in political pressure" for admission due to involvement of government officials in the admission process.

For the last 20 years, guardians have been sending their children and wards to coaching centers run by teachers of reputed schools to "confirm" their admission to the schools concerned.

This year also, nearly two dozen teachers of Government Laboratory School, Collegiate School, PN Girls' School, Shiroil School and Helenabad School are running coaching centers with "guarantee of admission" to their schools.

Ismail Hossain, a guardian, said, "The reign of coaching centers will end if REB successfully implements the government decision".

Sabina, mother of a prospective admission seeker in Upashahar area of the city said, "A teacher of Laboratory School guaranteed me of my son's admission, but now he is not sure whether he will be able to keep his promise".

Amina Khatun, headmistress of Laboratory School, said "We will get rid of the political pressure we face every year for admitting incompetent students if REB takes the charge of admission tests".

The heads of some other schools also echoed the same sentiment.

But Lutfar Rahman, a government official and guardian of an admission seeker said political pressure might take a new dimension in the new system.

REB Chairman and the Admission Committee President Prof Nazrul Islam said there is no chance of any irregularity in the new system as the committee includes representatives from the district administration, police, schools and some other government officials.