SSC exams on full syllabus in 2023

The government eyes a return to the pre-pandemic schedule asa slowdown in COVID cases has allowed for classes to be conducted normally

The Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinationswill revert to the usual format in 2023, with students being assessed on thefull syllabus, according to education officials.

This year's public exams began on Thursday, seven monthsbehind schedule due to delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and floods.

In light of the disruptions to learning, the tests are basedon an abridged curriculum and the exam duration has also been reduced to twohours.

However, the Ministry of Education plans to return to thepre-pandemic schedule as a slowdown in the spread of COVID-19 has allowed forclasses to be conducted normally.

"The exam schedule will be brought forward next year.Prior to the pandemic, the SSC exams used to start in January. Even if we can'tdo that, there are plans to start the exams in March," Abu Bakr Siddique,secretary of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, told reporterswhile visiting an exam centre in Dhaka on Thursday.

Tapan Kumar Sarkar, president of the Inter-Education BoardCoordination Sub-Committee, said the Higher Secondary Certificate andequivalent exams may also be delayed by a month next year.

The exams, however, will be held on the full syllabus in2023, he added, urging students to prepare accordingly.

Over two million students sat for the Bangla first paperexam at 3,790 centres across the country on the opening day of the SSC examsthis year.