Digitalisation ends hassle but lottery anxiety hovers

Guardians aspiring to admit their children to primary and secondary levels in government high schools have got relief from one hassle as the admission procedure has been digitalised, but the anxiety over getting chance either through lottery or qualifying in admission tests still prevails.

Online admission procedure started last year only in schools which are located in Dhaka city mitigating guardians' hassle of waiting in long queues for collecting and submitting admission forms and fees.

This year, schools in Dhaka and other cities, except for Chittagong, and those situated in divisional and district headquarters have been included in the online system.

However, schools in upazila headquarters will carry out their admission activities on their own, said Mostofa Kamal, deputy director of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) yesterday, adding, "We will gradually bring all schools under the online system."

Distribution of admission forms of 175 out of 335 government high schools in the country already started yesterday. The forms are available at http://gsa.teletalk.com.bd, where it can also be submitted till

December 13. The form fee, which is Tk 150, has to be paid through state-run mobile phone operator Teletalk.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday inaugurated the online admission at Dhanmondi Government Boys High School. There are 35 government schools in the capital of which 16 also offer primary education and will enrol over 2,000 youngsters in class-I.

Like previous years, the beginners will be admitted in class-I by lottery, a process initiated in 2010 aiming to end increasing psychological torment that preschoolers were facing. Students wishing to get admitted to other classes will have to take a written test while candidates for class IX will be selected based on their Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate results.

Lotteries will be held for schools in Dhaka city on December 26 in presence of guardians, teachers, and officials concerned and the schools outside Dhaka will arrange the draw on their own, said a top official of DSHE wishing anonymity.

Although the lottery process received good response from parents, they are still worried because it is all about luck.

Shahinur Islam said parents are nervous because there are only a handful of "good" schools in the capital which cannot enrol all the candidates.

"Admitting children to a reputed school in Dhaka is the toughest job. If my son is allowed here [Dhanmondi Govt Boys' High School], I will have no tension until class-X," said Anwar Hossain.

"The government schools are comparatively better as they have good teachers and environment and the fees are also low," he pointed out.