The primary scholarship examination was held in Shantiganj Upazila on Wednesday in a peaceful and orderly environment. The exam began simultaneously at 10:00 am across two centers.
The centers were Pagla Government Model High School and College and Ganinagar Shologram High School, under the supervision of the Upazila Administration and the Primary Education Department. Officials reported a satisfactory attendance rate.
At Pagla Government Model High School and College, 601 students were registered. Of them, 446 attended the exam (74.20%), while 155 were absent.
At Ganinagar Shologram High School, 386 students were registered. Among them, 277 appeared (71.87%), and 109 were absent.
In total, 987 candidates were registered at the two centers. Of them, 723 students took part in the exam, with an average attendance rate of 73.25%. A total of 264 candidates were absent.
However, some guardians expressed concern over the timing of the exam. They said it should have been held earlier.
Mohsin Rahman from Hanskuri village and Dildar Chowdhury from Dargapasha village said many students had already been studying in Class Six for about four months. “They are attending regular classes but now have to sit for a Class Five exam. This creates confusion and pressure,” they said, urging authorities to schedule exams on time in the future.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he did not allow his son to sit for the exam due to the added pressure. “A child already studying in Class Six should not have to take a Class Five exam. It creates unnecessary stress,” he said.
Upazila Executive Officer Mohammad Shahjahan inspected the centers during the exam. He confirmed that the exam was conducted peacefully, with no untoward incidents.
Upazila Primary Education Officer Md. Sajjad Hossain Talukder, Academic Supervisor Noor Alam Siddiqui, and Agriculture Officer Ahsan Habib were also present.
Officials expressed hope that student participation would contribute to improving the overall quality of primary education.
