Wards of Aila victims want exemption of exam fees

Over 27 hundred candidates of next SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations from 51 high schools, colleges and madrasas in Aila-hit Koira upazila of Khulna district have appealed to the government for exemption of their board fees.

Badly damaged by cyclonic storm Aila and tidal surges on May 25, these 51 educational institutions are yet to get back normal academic atmosphere as most of them go under water when the river swells, speakers said at a rally at Koira upaizla sadar on Wednesday afternoon.

A large number of students and their guardians attended the rally.

It is not possible to manage examination fees of the candidates of next SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations as they are yet to recover from serious financial crisis after losing homesteads and earning sources due to the Aila, said several guardians at the rally.

After the rally, the students and guardians submitted copies of a memorandum to the lawmaker from Khulna-6 constituency, the upazila chairman and the UNO for sending it to the prime minister.

In the memorandum they made a fervent appeal to consider the matter from humanitarian grounds.

According to Upazila Education Office, 1504 candidates will sit for the SSC examinations from 26 high schools, 319 for the HSC examinations from two colleges and 910 from 23 madrasas in Koira upazila that was worst hit by the Aila.

About 40,000 candidates of next SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations from other high schools, colleges and madrasas of Aila-hit Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts are also finding it hard to manage the board and tuition fees, sources said.

According to an official notification issued by Jessore Education Board on last September 11, candidates for the SSC examinations in 2010 are to fill in their forms paying all prescribed fees by December 31 this year.

Candidates under science, humanities and business studies groups of government high schools are to pay Tk 1000 to Tk 1100 as board fees.

Students of non-government high schools have to pay higher amounts as arrear tuition fees of the schools will be added.

When contacted, Md Amirul Alam Khan, controller of examinations of Jessore Board, said the notification issued on September 11 remains effective as the board authorities did not yet get any instruction from the education ministry regarding exemption of examination fees for candidates in Aila-hit districts.