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Editorial

Congratulations to JSC and JDC achievers

The dropout rate gives us worry, though
1 January 2011, 18:00 PM
EDITORIAL
Results of maiden Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate exams are just out combined passing rate being 73.04 percent. Considering the nature of the exams and the sudden challenge upon the students, we should be comfortable with the outcome. To be precise, the pass rate in JSC exams is 71.34 percent and in JDC exam 81.03. It needs to be noted, however, that the passing rate is less than the 92 percent as in primary terminal exams, leaving room for improvement there. The number of schools with cent percent pass rate is 863 while only 2 madrassas got that credit. Boys fared better than the girls. Pass rate among boys is 75.65 while the rate is 70.68 among the girls. Examinees of the Barisal Board achieved the highest passing rate of 81.75 percent. We congratulate the high achievers and all those who came out successful. They showed their intellectual ability, merit and courage. While we celebrate the New Year with the achievement of these young minds, we cannot help express our concern in the rates of drop outs. The chilling stat of nearly five lakh students who either failed or did not appear at the exams is highly alarming and more troubling is the fact that these unfortunate souls may not come back to studies due to poverty. It is assumed that a large number of these students live in rural areas and many will not take their exams twice because of their poor financial condition. Instead of sitting for exams for the second time they might engage themselves in supporting their family. Education being the engine of national progress, the fact that so many will peter away in the early stage of their life is not acceptable. It is heartening to note that the Education Ministry is going to meet soon to decide how to retain these students in academic life. We urge upon the concerned authorities to create an atmosphere of hope among the poor students and their parents by offering incentives like a mid-day meal, supply of basic school stationery, to take exams free of cost etc., so that they don't wander away from class rooms. Sooner we arrest the trend of leaving school the better for us. We cannot afford to be the pall-bearers of lost generations just due to problems which can be resolved collectively with a little bit of wisdom. Let's not forget that people devoid of functional literacy cannot move ahead as a nation. That's the stark reality.

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