Rajshahi's Rural Government Colleges Lag in HSC Results: Nine Upazila Colleges Average 41.10 Percent Passes

Students of nine upazila government colleges in Rajshahi have not done well in this year's HSC examinations. The pass rates of six of the colleges are below the Rajshahi Education Board's average. Results published on Saturday showed the board's average pass rate at 45.6 percent, while the nine government colleges in the district's upazilas averaged 41.10 percent.

The lowest pass rate was at Godagari Government College — 20.48 percent. Of its 205 candidates, only 42 passed, and no student achieved a GPA-5.

Next was Daukandi Government College in Durgapur, with a pass rate of 20.51 percent. Of 156 candidates, 32 passed, and no student there achieved a GPA-5 either.

At Shahdaula Government College in Bagha upazila, the pass rate was 35.40 percent: 435 candidates sat the exam, 154 passed and nine achieved GPA-5. At Bhabaniganj Government College in Bagmara, the pass rate was 38.18 percent.

At Nawhata Government College in Paba upazila, the pass rate was 44.30 percent — close to, but still below, the board average. At Government Abdul Karim Sarker College in Tanore, the pass rate was 24.34 percent: of 415 candidates, 101 passed and five achieved GPA-5.

The principal of the Tanore college, Dr Md Mostafa Kamal, said: 'Is this a result to be happy about? We could not be happy. We will try so that it is better next time.'

Three colleges did comparatively well. Sardah Government College in Charghat recorded a pass rate of 68.15 percent, above the board average: of 383 candidates, 261 passed and 13 achieved GPA-5.

Mohanpur Government College also did comparatively well, with a pass rate of 61.60 percent: of 500 candidates, 308 passed and three achieved GPA-5. At Baneshwar Government College in Puthia, the pass rate was 56.98 percent — 257 of 451 candidates passed, and five achieved GPA-5.

While several well-known government colleges in the city did well, the condition of the rural colleges is dismal. The same is true of the upazila-level colleges that were nationalised as old or 'good' institutions. The nine colleges were nationalised in 2018.

Teachers at the institutions blame the poor results on students' irregular attendance in classrooms. They say students cannot be kept in class: they attend for a while in class eleven, but once they reach the second year they focus more on coaching and private tuition and do not want to attend classes. Informing guardians does not help either.

There is also a teacher shortage. When one college in each upazila was nationalised in 2018, teacher recruitment at these colleges stopped. In the eight years since, many teachers have retired, but no new teachers have been posted. As a result, proper teaching is not taking place at the colleges because of the shortage, those concerned said.