Ibrahim Khalil Khan, now a sixth-grade student at Shaheed Smriti Police College in Mirpur, had been nominated by his former school to sit the government scholarship exam based on his fifth-grade results in 2025.
However, he did not take the test on behalf of his former institution, Savar Cantonment School and College.
The exam, held months after students had moved on to secondary education, coincided with internal assessments at his new school and upcoming term exams.
“If the scholarship exam had been held in December, Ibrahim would definitely have taken part,” his father Kamruzzaman Khan told TIMES of Bangladesh.
“Nearly four months after completing primary school, he prefers to focus on his current studies rather than go back to old coursework,” he said.
The situation reflects a wider national pattern.
Although the interim government moved to reinstate the primary scholarship exam after a 16-year hiatus, delays pushed it to mid-April, with tests held from 15 to 18 April.
In the three hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban, the exam was held under a separate schedule from 17 to 20 April.
As a result, attendance was low, with many students missing the exam due to academic transitions and scheduling conflicts.
Educationists criticised the standalone scholarship exam as exclusionary and unnecessary, saying it rewards only top performers while leaving weaker students behind.
They argued that focus should instead shift to improving classroom teaching and practical skills rather than adding another test.
Low turnout
From the first day of the exam, around one in three students were absent.
A total of 645,041 students had been selected to sit the exam, but only 420,002 took part, putting attendance at 65.11 per cent.
At one exam centre, the scale of absence was even more pronounced.
Md Riaz Parvez, head teacher of Gandaria Mohila Samity Government Primary School, said just 371 out of 725 candidates appeared.
“After finishing primary school, many students move to better secondary schools, often changing location,” he said.
“For younger students, distance is a factor. On top of that, sixth-grade exams are approaching,” he added.
At Mohammadpur Government Primary School in the capital, 17 students had been expected to sit the exam, but only nine took part.
At Golam Monir Hossain Government Primary School in Manikganj, just one of three candidates appeared, while at Sultanpur Baraipara Government Primary School in Palashbari upazila of Gaibandha, four out of six students sat the test.
Md Abdur Rezzak Siddiqui, administrative officer (Education) at the Directorate of Primary Education, told TIMES that attendance was lower as a December exam was held in April.
“Even so, we are not dissatisfied. Despite various challenges, the exam was completed smoothly,” he said.
He added that the exam would be held in the third week of December this year.
There were also indications of pressure to boost attendance.
At a primary school in Rangamati Sadar upazila, all four students nominated for the scholarship exam took part.
A teacher at the school said they had been instructed by the local education office to ensure that all selected candidates were present in the exam hall.
“We spent money from our own pockets to send those four students to the exam,” the teacher said.
“We had to cover their travel costs for the four days of exams.”
An official at the Ministry of Education, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that such instructions had been given.
“The situation was a bit different this time, so there was verbal guidance to ensure maximum attendance of candidates,” the official said.
Emeritus Professor of BRAC University Manzoor Ahmed, who led the advisory committee on primary and secondary education formed during the interim government, believes holding a separate scholarship exam is a flawed decision.
“Students who perform well in school are the ones nominated for the scholarship exam, so those who are already lagging behind remain excluded,” he said.
“This will not benefit the majority of students.”
Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of the non-government organisation Campaign for Popular Education, also questioned the rationale.
“There is little point in making students sit another exam in the name of a scholarship test after their annual exams,” she said.
“Greater focus should be placed on improving classroom teaching and building practical skills.”
This year, a total of 82,500 primary students will receive scholarships.
Of them, 33,000 will be awarded merit scholarships and 49,500 will receive general scholarships.
Students awarded talent pool scholarships will receive a one-time grant of Tk225 and a monthly stipend of Tk300.
Those receiving general scholarships will get Tk225 as a one-time grant and Tk225 per month.
Eighty per cent of the scholarships will go to students from government institutions, with the remaining 20 per cent allocated to those from private institutions.
The primary scholarship exams had been discontinued in 2009 following the introduction of the Primary Education Completion Examination.
