Education Minister Dr M Osman Farruk yesterday revealed the government plan at a press conference held at his ministry. The first round of SSC examinations under the new system is due in 2008.

In the existing system, 50 marks are allotted for narrative questions and 50 for multiple choice questions (MCQ). The new system will have 60 marks for structured questions and 40 marks for MCQ except for English 1st and 2nd papers and Bangla 2nd paper.

The structured questions, based on a given situation, will be divided in four parts to test the examinee's understanding of the topic, perception, ability to apply that perception and analytical skill.

The structured questions are being introduced as part of reforming the education system. "The reform programme consists of four components including unitrack curriculum, privatisation of textbooks, school based assessment (SBA) and examination reforms to uplift the standard of education," said Farruk.

Class nine students are going to follow the new system under unitrack curriculum from 2006, the minister said.

The existing multi-track education system is going to be replaced by unitrack system. The 40-year old multi-track secondary education system has become outdated and students pass the SSC without acquiring 'unified knowledge' of the core subjects like humanities and social studies, the minister noted.

Unified knowledge under a unitrack education system will enable them to make a well-informed choice of which area of studies they want to specialise on after completion of SSC, he added.

Regarding the public apprehension that allocation of 30 marks for SBA from class six to nine may be subject to manipulation by school teachers, the minister said that the marks will be given on a student's extracurricular performance, class attendance, conduct, punctuality and leadership qualities. It is, however, is not going to be a part of the SSC exam right now, Farruk pointed out.

The SBA system has been piloted at 50 schools to study its applicability and more studies will be conducted before its introduction as a system, he assured.

A total of 35 secondary level textbooks have already been approved for private publication, alongside the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, under privatisation of textbook project, according to the NCTB Chairman Prof Gazi Md Ahsanul Kabir.

State Minister for Education ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon and other top officials of the ministry were present at the press conference.