Education Ministry Plans Major Overhaul

The government is moving to restructure the national academic calendar, aiming to conclude SSC and HSC examinations by December each year. This shift, intended to eliminate session jams and sync with the natural calendar, could be implemented as early as 2027.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque announced that the ministry is currently revising the curriculum to facilitate this transition. Under the proposed system, students would complete their board exams and receive results by year-end, allowing them to begin the next phase of their education—whether higher secondary or university—immediately in January.

Currently, SSC exams typically begin in February and HSC in April. However, these schedules are frequently disrupted by heatwaves, floods, and other natural disasters. Furthermore, the prolonged gap between HSC results and university enrollment often leaves students in a state of academic limbo.

"If we can conduct the exams by December, the entire cycle—syllabus, class tests, and board exams—will be completed within the calendar year," the Minister explained. "Students will pass SSC at 16 and HSC at 18, entering university without losing time to session jams."

While the goal is 2027, the Minister emphasized that the timeline depends on how quickly the syllabus can be adjusted. "We are finalizing the plan first. Whether it begins in 2027, 2028, or 2029 is a secondary matter; the priority is ensuring the academic year ends strictly in December," he added.

Educationists have welcomed the initiative, noting that a calendar reflecting Bangladesh’s geographical and climatic realities is long overdue.