Education Minister Announces July 20 for SSC Results; Pushes Uniform Question Paper for HSC

Education and Primary & Mass Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon has announced that the results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations will be officially published on July 20. Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat on Thursday (June 18), the Minister credited the smooth and successful completion of the examinations to the widespread cooperation of media professionals and educators nationwide.

During the briefing, the Minister also revealed a major structural shift for the upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, scheduled to begin on July 19. A single, uniform question paper will be utilized across all education boards nationally.

Standardizing the Examination Framework
Defending the decision to introduce a unified question paper system, the Minister drew parallels to international assessment standards such as the O-Level and A-Level frameworks. He emphasized that regional disparity in question difficulty has long compromised fair evaluation.

"Previously, one board would set easier questions while another went tougher. Students across Bangladesh cannot be assessed on different standards. A uniform question paper ensures absolute parity for all candidates."
— Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Education Minister

Addressing logistical and security concerns, Dr. Milon dismissed anxieties regarding localized disruptions, such as potential flooding in the Sylhet region. He explained that question papers reach examination centers in securely sealed envelopes that are only opened by headmasters on the day of the exam.

The Minister assured that robust emergency protocols are in place, noting that authorities have demonstrated in past examinations their capability to manage regional natural disasters without disrupting or scrapping the entire national examination process.

Primary Admissions Reform and MPO Teachers' Pay Scale
Turning to primary education, the Minister dismissed concerns that Class One enrollment tests were fueling a commercialized coaching industry for four- and five-year-old children. Characterizing the current screening process as nominal, he disclosed that the government is actively developing a catchment area system. This mechanism will balance residential proximity with the admission process to significantly reduce the psychological and financial pressure on families.

The Minister admitted that previous admission structures were plagued by widespread irregularities. He noted that the ministry is carefully studying how to merge both admission mechanisms seamlessly without recreating historical vulnerabilities.

Regarding the inclusion of Monthly Pay Order (MPO)-listed teachers into the national pay scale, Dr. Milon urged patience while affirming the government's continuous efforts to address the issue. Acknowledging the backlog, he remarked that a four-month tenure cannot instantly resolve every administrative problem accumulated over consecutive years, but reiterated that structural work is underway.

The Education Minister concluded the press conference by urging journalists to provide extensive media coverage for two upcoming national student events, calling public attention to student achievements a matter of vital national interest.