Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon said on Tuesday that students who fail in up to two subjects in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations will be allowed to retake the tests within 15 days of the publication of results.

The government is also considering shifting students who fail again to technical and vocational education instead of allowing them to remain in a cycle of repeated failures, he said.

The minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of an orientation training course for the 49th Bangladesh Civil Service (General Education) cadre officials at the Rural Development Academy auditorium in Bogura on Tuesday.

He said the government needed to address the situation of students who fail or drop out of education and find ways to help them recover.

“Those who have passed have passed, but we must first address the students who have dropped out or failed,” he said, adding that technical education could help young people adapt to globalisation, technological advancement and the age of artificial intelligence.

Explaining the proposed changes to the SSC examination system, Milon said students failing in no more than two subjects would be given another opportunity within 15 days of the results being published.

“Their performance in the retake examination will determine whether they can continue in the general education system. Those who fail to qualify will be moved to technical or vocational education,” he added.

The minister also stressed the need to address the decline in moral values, saying efforts should begin with a new generation to prevent further deterioration.

He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had emphasised culture, sports, moral education and “Learning with Happiness” from Class IV.