FOR decades, the Secondary School Certificate examinations have been a gateway to higher education and socio-economic mobility. Introduced during the colonial era and modified post independence, the examinations have for long been perceived as a milestone that shapes the future of millions of students every year. But in 2025, amidst rapid shifts in pedagogy, technology, global education standards and the pressing need to develop 21st-century competencies among learners, a fundamental question draws attention: should Bangladesh begin to phase out the secondary-final examinations?
This is not a rhetorical or reactionary question. It is rooted in legitimate concerns about the relevance, equity and impact of the current assessment systems of students, educators and the nation as a whole.
Every year, more than two million students take for the SSC examinations. This massive, high-stake test, administered after 10 years of schooling, determines the educational trajectory of adolescents as young as 15 or 16. The intense focus on this single event has led to a distorted understanding of education among students and parents alike. Instead of fostering curiosity, critical thinking, creativity and ethical reasoning, the system has gradually become centred on rote memorisation and examination-centric performance.
Coaching centres thrive in this environment, feeding off fear and competition. Students are often encouraged to memorise model questions, patterns and 鈥榮uggestions,鈥� sidelining a holistic understanding. Teachers, too, feel pressured to 鈥榯each to the test,鈥� sacrificing time for meaningful classroom engagement or innovative pedagogical strategies. Assessment becomes not a tool for learning but a narrow funnel through which all learners are pushed.
Another pressing reason to reconsider the examinations lies in the growing inequity of the education system. Urban students with access to elite schools and coaching centres are disproportionately advantaged while rural, marginalised and under-resourced communities fall behind. Students with disabilities, neuro-divergent learners, or those from non-mainstream backgrounds are particularly disadvantaged by the rigid nature of a standardised national test.
Additionally, the psychological impact of the SSC examinations on adolescents cannot be overstated. Mental health crises, including anxiety, depression and, even, suicide, have been reported in the wake of poor results. A system that causes such trauma, especially among those still developing emotionally and intellectually, must be deeply re-evaluated.
Globally, education systems, including those in developing and least developed countries, are increasingly questioning the value of early, high-stake standardised exams like the secondary-final examinations. In Finland, a model of progressive education, students face no national examinations until the end of the upper secondary school. Instead, assessment is formative, classroom-based and focused on supporting learning over sorting students. Similarly, Scotland abolished its Standard Grade examinations, comparable to the Secondary School Certificate, in 2014 and adopted a broader-based qualification framework under the curriculum for excellence.
This shift is not limited to high-income nations. India鈥檚 National Education Policy 2020 has ushered in reforms to reduce the burden of board examinations, promoting competency-based learning and school-led assessment instead. Nepal has restructured its school leaving certificate system to reduce examination pressure and introduce a more inclusive Grade 10 secondary education examination. In sub-Saharan Africa, countries such as Rwanda have begun exploring school-based continuous assessments, with their national curriculum revision emphasising competencies over rote knowledge.
Even in least developed countries, there is growing momentum for change. For instance, Ethiopia鈥檚 general education quality improvement programme has supported reforms towards a more formative classroom assessment and teacher training, moving beyond a singular focus on centralised testing. The examples reflect a broader realisation: high-stake tests often exacerbate inequality, narrows curriculums and inhibits creativity, particularly in under-resourced contexts.
Bangladesh, therefore, risks being left behind in the global education discourse if it continues to cling to outdated assessment models. A rethinking of the Secondary School Certificate is not merely an educational imperative but a strategic necessity to align with global standards of inclusive, learner-centric, and future-ready education systems.
We must ask a question: what is the purpose of 10 years of education? Is it merely to pass the examinations or to prepare children to be critical thinkers, active citizens and lifelong learners? The current SSC-centric model is misaligned with the aspirations of the National Education Policy and the evolving needs of the 21st-century job market. Employers are increasingly seeking skills such as communication, teamwork, digital literacy, emotional intelligence and adaptability none of which are assessed in the current system.
Moreover, the world is facing complex challenges, from climate change to technological disruption, from inequality to geopolitical shifts. We need a generation which is resilient, reflective and ready to navigate uncertainty. Such qualities cannot be measured in a three-hour examination or developed through rote learning.
The issue of phasing out the Secondary School Certificate does not imply dismantling the entire system overnight. It, rather, calls for a gradual, structured and consultative transition. A few immediate steps can initiate this process:
Continuous assessment: Schools should be empowered and trained to implement robust formative and summative assessments throughout the academic year. This would reduce the pressure of a single exam and offer a more comprehensive picture of a student鈥檚 growth.
School-based certification: School-based certification, supervised by district or regional education authorities, can replace the Secondary School Certificate examinations. This would allow for more context-sensitive evaluations, encourage teacher development and foster community trust in local institutions.
Competency-based curriculum: Curriculums must shift focus from textbook regurgitation to competencies, problem-solving, ethical reasoning, civic engagement, and digital skills. Assessments should follow suit.
Technology for assessment: Digital tools and platforms can support personalised assessments, e-portfolios and real-time feedback loops, especially in urban and semi-urban areas.
Pilot models: Before a national rollout, alternative certification and assessment models can be piloted in selected districts or schools, with proper monitoring, teacher training, and evaluation.
Phasing out the Secondary School Certificate will not be easy. There will be resistance, from parents who equate Secondary School Certificate results with social mobility, from teachers concerned about accountability and from institutions invested in the current exam economy.
To address these, a strong communication strategy is needed. Policymakers must explain why changes are necessary and what benefits it will bring. Teachers must be trained and supported to take on new roles as assessors and mentors. Most important, trust must be built with communities, particularly in rural and low-income areas, that the new system will be fair and beneficial.
We must also acknowledge the political economy surrounding the Secondary School Certificate. Publishing results, awarding scholarship and media ranking of schools have become rituals. They reinforce a culture of competition and reinforce elite capture of the education system. Phasing out the Secondary School Certificate must be accompanied by reforms in higher secondary admissions, national talent recognition programme and funding models that do not rely on exam scores alone.
For Bangladesh, the stakes are high. As the country graduates from LDC status and aspires to be a high-income nation by 2041, its human capital must be ready to match the challenge. The World Bank and UNESCO have both stressed the need for 鈥榣earning-adjusted years of schooling,鈥� not just school enrolment. In Bangladesh, despite near-universal secondary school attendance, actual learning outcomes remain poor. Secondary School Certificate scores often mask such deficiencies.
Moreover, Bangladesh has committed to the Sustainable Development Goals 4, which calls for inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. High-stakes exams at an early age directly contradict this vision. Perhaps the Covid outbreak was a missed opportunity. During school closures, the government had temporarily suspended public examinations and explored alternative assessment models. While that shift was forced, it offered a glimpse into what a flexible, student-centred assessment system could look like.
But it is not too late. The current moment, with growing awareness about mental health, global best practices, and youth aspirations, offers a unique opportunity to rethink our education system, beginning with the Secondary School Certificate.
The question is, therefore, not just whether we are ready to phase out the Secondary School Certificate, but whether we are courageous enough to imagine a better alternative. Can we envision a Bangladesh where education is not a fearful race to a certificate, but a joyful journey of growth, creativity and empowerment?
We owe it to our children not just to teach them what we know but to prepare them for a world we cannot fully predict. For that, our assessment systems must evolve. The Secondary School Certificate, once a symbol of modernity and merit, now risks being a barrier to progress. It is time we let it go, carefully, thoughtfully and boldly.
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Musharraf Tansen is a doctoral researcher at the University of Dhaka.
