It may have been the obvious solution for the Bangladeshi government: To grant auto-pass to Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinees because, as a result of publication time, all of this merges within this very protest scenario. The decision fully stands opposite to the very vulnerabilities that Gen-Z has been thundering about -- especially their demand for meritocracy. The implications of this decision are overreaching. They not only go after the instant relief granted to all students but question the future of the country.
HSC examinations are a defining point in a student's life, providing the readiness of the person entering in the higher academic and professional spheres of life. Auto passing these examinations would in effect be admitting that there is no point to such exams.
Although such a decision would be understandable in light of the traumatic experiences the protests must have been for the students, one cannot ignore the danger of diluting the very standards that have been conventionally considered the hallmark of quality and credibility in education in Bangladesh.
HSC exams are such that they actually test how a student has prepared for something at a level higher than the earlier exams. By giving away automatic passes in such exams, the benchmark of academic excellence can fall, and this gives out a message that hard work and merit are no longer looked upon.
This is particularly worrying in a country where academic achievement is often the only way of social ascension. If students are given marks based on their past performance, or some other assessment that does not clearly reflect their current abilities, it creates an inequitable situation.
The system is going to ignore some students' efforts to uplift grades from the last moment before the HSC examinations and instead, the system will unfairly provide a lift for other students.
The impact can be measured by using the data from the HSC students of 2020 batch where, considering the Covid-19 pandemic, such an auto-pass system was adopted. Most from that batch faced struggles in admissions and job applications. The consultancy poll also showed that nearly 30% of students whose grades had been granted based on the auto-pass formula found it hard to get into their choice of universities.
Similarly, the auto-pass decision does not appreciate the sacrifices made by the students who have put more effort in their preparations for the exams. The decision repays them with their sacrifice and dedication by undermining their level of education to an extent they become just a number.
The psychological effects of this move are infinite. This "auto-pass" tagging can give one a life-long stereotype in mentality, both in the sense of how people see them or how they carry themselves with other peers and educators, even extending to future employers. The stigma of not having made it through by traditional means may result in self doubt, thus limiting the chances of attaining more in terms of further education and job opportunities.
The recent Gen-Z protests in Bangladesh were not for exams, but more than any pretension, these were protests in expression for the support for a just and merit-based criterion based on hard work, intelligence, and academic performance.
While the work of the interim administration is commendable in the sense that it paid heed to the student's grievances at such a challenging time, such decisions should be taken after evaluating long-term repercussions. Hasty solutions are not lasting ones, especially in the domain of education.
In place of the auto-pass system, there are plenty of alternative approaches that could be recommended for the achievement of balance between compassion and fairness. For instance, this exception could have been carried out in the form of special provisions made for students directly affected by these protests, especially the ones who got injured or badly traumatized.
This provision would have allowed them to take the exams at a later date when the students felt they were physically ready and psychologically in a stable condition to give their best performance during the tests.
Apart from that, new ways of assessment that were introduced -- for example, project-based assessment or oral assessment -- could have revealed much more flexible and fair ways of appraising what one learned and his abilities.
We also need to become serious about offering psychological help and counseling to students affected by the protests. This would reduce trauma and stress and keep them in good mental shape for academic productivity. It could have been possible to outline the whole conceptualization of aiding students during this time by offering comprehensive mental health services.
The auto-pass decision, however well meant it may have been, goes against meritocracy and fairness. It is a decision that puts at stake not just the integrity of the education system but also the future prospects of a generation. We have to move on to building a system of education based on values of hard work, academic excellence, fairness, and necessity. Anything short of this is an injustice to the students of Bangladesh and to the nation's future.
Pranto Chatterjee is a former Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Scholar.