In the new curriculum, students from classes VI to IX are required to take two assessments a year. In the middle of a year, called ‘Six-monthly Assessment’. Another at the end of the year, known as ‘Annual Summative Appraisal’. In both assessments students will have to participate in various activities including poster presentation. The educational institution will charge a total fee from the students for the purchase of the required materials. As a result, students-parents have to pay more money under the new rules than the fee charged for the examination under the previous rules.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) informed the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (MAUSHI) and the Directorate of Madrasa Education through a letter last month.

According to the letter, in the light of the new curriculum, teaching and learning activities are ongoing at the secondary level from the sixth to the ninth class. It has two evaluation systems namely quarterly and yearly. In the meeting of the ministry, a decision was also taken about the written test in this assessment. As a result, educational institutions have to bear the cost of paper and other ancillary materials for conducting oral and demonstrative activities in addition to the written examination in the summative assessment.

It also said that there is no bar to the educational institutions to collect ‘evaluation fee’ from the students as per the earlier rules for meeting financial expenses. There is a need to give clear instructions as to whether institutions can accept assessment fees from students for the upcoming semi-annual assessments. It was informed to send the necessary instructions to the institutions along with the next decision in this regard.

Attaching the NCTB letter, a letter has been sent to the educational institutions from the Directorate of Maushi and Madrassas stating that they have been ‘directly requested to follow these instructions’.

When asked, Director of Madhyamik Maushi Secondary Branch, Professor Syed Zafar Ali told Jago News, ‘We have asked the educational institution to follow the instructions given by NCTB. Because this decision was made in the meeting of the ministry.

When asked whether the amount of fee the institution can charge from the students will be decided or not, he said, ‘No, we have not decided it here. If there is a need to fix, then it will be communicated through notification and letter to the institutions.’

Madrasa Directorate Inspector (Assistant Professor) Mohammad Hossain said, ‘NCTB has given all the details in the letter. The letter means that there is no bar in collecting assessment fees from students. We have also given that instruction.’

The assessment fee is higher than the exam

Students used to give three exams in a year in the previous rule. First Term, Second Term and Annual Examination. According to that rule, instead of the fee for three tests, now the fee has to be paid for two evaluations. Parents are angry at the extra fees.

Rubayet Islam studied in eighth grade of Banshri branch of Motijheel Ideal School and College in the capital. His father Rabiul Islam told Jago News that his son has entered the new curriculum in seventh grade. Before that, he studied in the sixth standard in the previous rules. At that time the exam fee was 350 rupees. In other words, the fee for all three tests was 1 thousand 50 taka. At present, the fee is Rs. 800 only for the six-monthly assessment. The fee for two evaluations is Tk 1,600. That is, the cost has increased by 550 rupees.

Rabiul Islam said, “The government is saying that the cost will be reduced with the new education system.” We see the opposite. Costs are constantly increasing. Maybe the school will give you a poster with the evaluation fee, and for writing and drawing on it, you will need various new materials including color pencils. It costs a lot to buy it.’

Marjan Akhter, the parent of a class VII student of Vikarunnisa School and College, also made the same complaint. He said, ‘There are many criticisms about the new curriculum. The increase in cost with it is another problem. The previous education minister said that the cost will be reduced. Now increasing. The new minister also says that he will reduce the cost. But the school is increasing the fees. The government should look into this.’

Not only in private schools, but also in government schools, assessment fees are high. Headmaster of Government Laboratory High School. Alamgir Hossain Talukder told Jago News, “The school does not have any fund to cover the cost of taking the assessment test of the students. The cost is covered by the fee charged from the students as per the rules. If the cost of buying materials for evaluation increases, the fee will also increase a little.’

However, the six-monthly evaluation fee for the sixth to ninth grade students of the Government Laboratory High School has not been decided yet, said the head teacher.

AAH/SNR/GKS

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