Students who failed the first semester final exam of the Diploma in Primary Education will take a makeup exam from September 10 to 16. The National Academy of Primary Education released the schedule on Friday.
The program is offered at 12 Primary Teacher Training Institutes across the country, and this schedule applies to the first cohort.
Fail this one and it is over
The instructions are final and essential, and this is the part every candidate must read first.
A student who takes this makeup exam and fails again will be recorded as failing. They will not have any further opportunities to take a makeup exam.
Furthermore, the notice states that there is no possibility of taking makeup exams during the second semester.
Therefore, this is a single attempt with no guarantee of passing. The notice also states that, once the established deadline has passed, no exams may be taken under any circumstances.
Who is eligible, and who is locked out
Only students enrolled in the second semester who failed the first semester’s final exam are eligible to take the exam.
Those who did not enroll in the second semester are not eligible to take this exam. This exclusion is clearly stated in the instructions, meaning that a student who failed and then did not continue their studies has no possibility of taking this exam.
PTI supervisors are responsible for notifying students once they receive the exam schedule.
Four days to arrange it
The routine was published on Friday. The examination begins on Thursday.
For teachers currently working who need to apply for leave and travel to their teacher training center, the deadline is very tight and there is no possibility of a second chance. Those who believe they may be eligible should contact their teacher training center today, rather than waiting for a notification.
How the papers are handled
Exams are emailed from NAPE to each PTI’s designated email address one hour before the exam begins. The supervisor must check the email personally and is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the exam.
Books, notebooks, mobile phones, smartwatches, laptops, and any other electronic devices are prohibited in the exam room. Center management committees, seating arrangements, and the appointment of supervisors follow standard procedures.
After each exam, the answer sheets are coded with the code numbers provided by NAPE, sealed along with the attendance sheet, and sent in a insured 200 taka package to the Exam Controller, DPEd Board, NAPE, Mymensingh. The detached portion of the answer sheet is sent in a separate envelope.
Any unfair means, irregularity or breach of discipline will be dealt with under the DPEd policy.
What the notice does not say
No figures are provided. There is no indication of how many students failed the first semester or how many are eligible for this exam.
More importantly, it is unclear what a permanent fail means in practice. The DPEd is the professional qualification for primary school teachers, and a rule barring any further attempts raises an obvious question about the consequences for a candidate’s placement, salary increase, or confirmation. The notice does not address this issue, and no source has responded.
This silence is baffling given such an absolute rule. Candidates for this position deserve to know the consequences before taking the exams on Thursday, and they currently do not.
Rising Barta will provide information on the results of the DPEd first semester improvement exam, as well as any clarification regarding what a repeated fail means, once they are announced.
