Nurul Abser, who has been studying to sit for his GED (General Education Development) exam, is rather upset over the government’s decision to disqualify GED certifications for private university admissions.

When three years of studying for his A-Level exams did not help him achieve desirable results, he was outright despondent. A friend who had enrolled at a private university told him about the GED program, a four-month international standard course equivalent to the Higher Secondary Certificates (HSC) or the A-Level program. It was a new chance for Nurul to start over again.

“It costs too much to sit for the A-Level exams again. It is much easier for me to pursue a GED. To discount the GED would be a slap in the face of people like me, people who would be eligible for higher education because of the GED,” Nurul told the Dhaka Tribune.

On April 8, the University Grants Commission (UGC) decided private universities would not consider students with a GED for admission. The order will go into effect from July 31 this year.

UGC Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan said the GED and HSC programs are so drastically different they cannot be considered equal.

The GED certification was introduced in the United States after World War 2 to provide war veterans with certification to be eligible for civilian jobs. The four topics covered are — reasoning through language arts, mathematical reasoning, science, and social sciences. Many universities around the world, including private universities in Bangladesh, accept GED certificates, especially for off-track students.

Annually, 2,000-2,500 Bangladeshi students with a history of interrupted education obtain GED certificates.

According to Raisul Islam, the GED coordinator at Mentor’s Coaching Center, only 10% of these students pursue higher education abroad. The vast majority enrols in Bangladeshi universities because of financial constraints.

He said: “If the government refuses to acknowledge GED certificates for higher education, it would jeopardize thousands of non-traditional students. They would not be eligible for higher education.”

Sana, who is also currently studying for her GED, is concerned about how the government made the announcement so abruptly without consulting or considering students who are studying for their GED.

“We were encouraged to attend the program as it was approved by the government. The UGC’s decision has come without any early declaration about the GED programme. It seems our dream of higher education will remain incomplete,” Sana said.

Former vice chancellor of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Prof Imran Rahman lambasted the UGC decision, saying: “We are rejecting the GED when it is being embraced worldwide for undergraduate programs. It was an excellent instrument to bring back dropouts into the fold. The UGC should have discussed the subject with universities before making the decision.”

“It is grossly wrong to assume students with a GED are less qualified than a student who passed their HSC exams. GED students are just as capable and this only deprives them of the opportunity to show the world so.”



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