Staff Correspondent

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, MP, on Sunday said the primary scholarship examination will be held on time in the coming years, after visiting an exam centre in the capital.

“The scholarship exam this year was supposed to be held last year during the then interim government. But for some reason, they could not hold it,” the state minister told reporters on Saturday morning after inspecting the scholarship exam centre at Mannan Government Primary School in Jatrabari’s Paradogar.

He added, “The scholarship exam is an important tool to encourage students and guardians in the curriculum. We do not want to drop this process of encouragement. So after taking charge, we decided to hold the scholarship exam and implemented it. In the coming years, the scholarship exam will be held on time.”

The state minister said the government plans to review the scholarship exam policy, including how many students can participate and the amount of the stipend.

Asked about government action against coaching businesses centring on the scholarship, he said, “The government has a strong stance against coaching businesses. Not just for scholarships, coaching has long taken root in our society. It is a major problem. Several innovations and policies have been identified to regulate coaching, and piloting will begin very soon. However, no major complaints have yet been received regarding coaching related to primary scholarships.”

On school infrastructure, the state minister said steps have been taken. “The current condition of schools is being monitored. The government has undertaken several development projects such as the ‘Drishtinondon Project’ and ‘PDP Five’, through which major works like increasing classrooms, building washrooms, changing designs, and replacing furniture will be done.”

He further said he, along with the secretary and the director general, has been visiting different schools over the past few days to ensure students get proper facilities during exams. “We are maintaining regular contact at the field level. Visits to various centres have shown a satisfactory picture,” he said.

Primary and Mass Education Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, Directorate of Primary Education Director General Abu Nur Md Shamsuzzaman, and other senior officials were present during the visit.