Lottery or exam for school admission, decision today

The government's longstanding practice of using a lottery system for school admissions has faced growing criticism from educational institutions and parents. 

Many have called for a return to merit-based admissions through exams.

In response to these demands, the Ministry of Education has convened a crucial meeting today (Thursday) to reassess the current admission policy. 

The meeting, scheduled for 3:30pm at the ministry's conference room, will be chaired by Senior Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid. 

Participants include representatives from the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, District Education Officers, and heads of various schools and colleges in Dhaka.

A ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that numerous reputable institutions, particularly in Dhaka, have expressed concerns about the lottery system and presented compelling arguments for a change. 

These concerns will be thoroughly discussed during the meeting.

The ministry is considering potential revisions to the admission policy based on the feedback and recommendations from stakeholders.

Senior Secretary Abdur Rashid on Wednesday indicated that the meeting would determine whether the lottery system would be retained or replaced with a merit-based exam. 

He emphasised that the government has not made a final decision and is open to making changes if justified by the concerns of educational institutions and parents.