Appreciating the decision of scrapping JSC, JDC exams

Students are the most important asset for a nation. How a country designs its future depends on the ways it follows to nurture its kids and students.

Recently, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved a proposal to scrap the Junior School Certificate, or JSC, and equivalent exams for eighth graders. The education ministry confirmed the development in a notice on Monday, noting that the exams were not included in the national curriculum plan of 2021.

We are welcoming the decision to scrap the exams because we believe that these kinds of exams put extra pressure on the students. The government, however, launched the JSC and Junior Dakhil Certificate Exam (JDC) in 2010, saying they would help students build confidence.

Educationists and parents across the board, however, criticised the decision to hold the tests. The JSC and JDC exams were not held in the past three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After the reopening of educational institutes following pandemic shutdowns, the government began launching the new curriculum in phases.

Last year, there was no scope for holding public exams for the eighth graders in line with the new curriculum, which aims to wean students off rote learning and exams while focusing on class activities.

In the ancient times guardians of this region used to send their children to stay in the houses of the teachers so that they could learn their lessons along with necessary life skills from there. Back then there was no examination system. Students were true knowledge seekers but with the passage of time everything has changed and the knowledge seekers have become rote learners in many cases.

Before beginning their higher studies, students of Bangladesh needed to attend four public examinations. This practice is rare in the world.  As now the quality of students is measured only by their results, they have become identified solely as examinees. Instead of acquiring knowledge, they focus more on achieving better marks or grades. And all are in a race to get GPA-5.

The majority of students don’t find any pleasure from their academic studies. They just feel bored while taking repeated examinations. Excessive number of examinations ultimately creates an immense amount of pressure on them and steals the joy of their childhood. Schooling in Bangladesh is only based on the syllabus and textbook curriculum which is really unfortunate for the students.

In a certain examination, a student has to write answers to some questions based on the textbooks. An examination on a certain day cannot evaluate the actual quality a student achieves throughout the year.

Experts have opined that students’ every day performance, participation, enthusiasm, discipline, behaviour and extracurricular activities should be included as a part of the academic curriculum and the teachers should evaluate a student considering all these things. They also have spoken of taking measures to help the students so that they can learn the required life skills to face tough situations in life.

For the sake of education as a whole it is necessary to reduce the pressure of examinations on the children and the students, because these exams do not bring anything positive for the students. It only boosts the coaching centre and guide book business.

It seems that we are less focused on our children’s proper development compared to our emphasis on economic achievements. Certainly we need to boost our economy. But any development ignoring the all-round progress of our children will prove to be futile in the long run.

The anxiety regarding too many exams is hindering children's mental growth. As it is materially invisible, it does not mean that its impact is not visible. The goal of education is not to traumatise children. Parents, teachers and peers can play a vital role here as their compassionate behaviour might make them feel at ease.