Feature
About the HSC results...
Mushfique Amin Mallick
I remember back in 2004, the country was all hyped up about the fact the nation's best had been able to achieve a 50% pass rate in the SSC exams of the year. Indeed most people found it to be a groundbreaking accomplishment. This year it has increased to 70%, continuing an upward trend, with the number of GPA-5 achievers reaching its highest ever at almost 42000 students. What an achievement that must be? But one must go in a little deeper, for there is more to this than meets the eye.
The grading system currently functioning was introduced by the past government, developed and aimed at improving the results of the SSC exams, so that it could claim some measure of success in the form of bettering our education system. While many were able to comprehend the fact that the new system would improve the results, it was still allowed to be applied. Basically what happens is that a GPA is calculated for every subject based on the student's marks on that subject. The GPAs of the individual subjects are then totaled and averaged to find the actual GPA. So if a person were to get GPA 5 in all his/her subjects, he/she would get a total GPA of 5 as well. Simple enough. However, this system works differently in the aspect of the optional subject. While this subject has no special role when a student obtains a GPA 5 in all his subjects, in case a person were to have 6 subjects (in reality students are required to have 9 subjects) and get a GPA of 5 in 2 subjects and 4 in the 3 other subjects, his total would come to 22 out of 25. Introduce the optional subject. Provided the student gets a 5 here, 2 points are deducted and then added to the overall GPA, bringing the student's total to 25. But here's the catch, the actual total remains 25, and doesn't change to 30. This way GPA-5 is obtained quite easily. This second version is known as GPA-5 Silver, while the former is Golden.
This clever little manipulation has of course improved the results drastically, but has it really? Despite this change in the grading system, is 70% acceptable? I mean sure, if compared to a few years back, in 2003, with a pass rate of only 36%, this year's pass rate is almost double. But really things have hardly improved. More than anything, this system undermines the achievements of good, genuine students who deserve good results. Another allegation would be that the examiners don't take the exams so seriously anymore. While it took 3 months to check the scripts previously, it now takes only 1 and a half months. Students still go to teachers who prepare the questions that are set for the exams. This might give them an advantage.
The schools themselves are also to blame. Unlike English-medium schools, Bangla-medium schools discourage creativity. Physical Education and other extra curricular activities are very much restricted. Most schools still allow teachers to employ brutal forms of punishment, sometimes even beating is permitted. This not only results in oppression of students, but in some cases causes the opposite reaction, that is to say encourage students to misbehave in a worse manner.
The SSC system needs an overhaul if Bangla medium students are to cope with competition from other systems. The fact that a Daakhil certificate will now be given the same recognition as SSC, despite the wide gap in qualifications, will make life much harder, while the number of English medium students who have achieved 8 A's or more is also rising. Bangla medium schools still contribute to the majority of students in this country, and its standards will have to be enhanced in order to ensure progress of the country.
(Writer is a student of A levels)
A Step to Nurture
Maliha Ahmed
I was continually checking if I wrote the correct address or not because what I was seeing was unexpectedly irrelevant to what I was informed. The area around me was literally as undeveloped as a village with extremely narrow, broken roads and a few brick shops here and there. Though the location seemed to be inhabited by many, nobody could have expected to see such a place in Chittagong city. After many innumerable convoluted turns I finally reached my destination which I had long anticipated to reach. To my utmost shock there stood a 6-storey building in front of me, the 'Nurture center for the Disabled and Paralyzed'. This NGO was set up by Mrs. Nasreen Baqui with the help of Dr. S. N. Kibria (M.B.B.S, D.A), a consultant anesthesiologist. Presently Dr. Kibria is a medical superintendent at Chittagong Port Hospital. The idea was to treat sick people who cannot access quality healthcare services at the Chittagong Medical College and Hospital. With the assistance of Dr. Kibria and a group of doctors from CMCH , Mrs. Baqui was able to rent a building near CMCH with 10 beds and introduce her charitable health care center. After 1 year they shifted to their current location at Halishahar. They occupied a series of rooms with 24 beds for their patients and at last destiny could not help but smile generously upon them. In the year 2000 a Dutch gentleman named Mr. Hence, happened to visit their NGO and showed keen desire to donate money to the organization. The output of the collaboration is the construction of the 6-storey hospital which will hopefully be inaugurated in November this year. This hospital, as mentioned before, admits cases from CMCH, most of who have spinal cord injury and who are partially disabled. The ground floor consists of the male general ward, the 1st floor is the female general ward, the 2nd floor is the administrative block. There are also paying cabins through which the NGO hopes to earn money to spend on its further development. The 3rd floor has the Operation Theatre complex, the 4th floor has the orthopedic ward, and the 5th floor is the guests' floor with rooms, a dining hall and a kitchen. They also have extra rooms set up to train physiotherapists as they play a major role in the treatment of a patient. Doctors from neurology, orthopedics and medicine are hired to provide patients' with every service needed. Rooms for nurses and other staff members have also been set up.
The entire plan looked so great, so helpful and at the same time so inspiring! It made me feel that it doesn't matter how much the society gets polluted, some people will always be there to help others. On the opposite side of the Nurture Hospital is a free school named 'Amader Pathshala' started by the same organization. It is a yellow building with a single floor comprising of three classes- nursery, kg 1 and class 1. Within 1 and a half years this school enrolled a total of 54 students with equally teachers. What touched me most was the fact that even though the students belong to financially insolvent families, it doesn't at all affect their enthusiasm or aim. Someone wants to be a doctor, someone an engineer whereas someone wants to study for his entire life!! While talking to them I noticed sparkle in their eyes, a will for a better life, for a better future. I foresaw many rising stars that day and will pray that my prediction doesn't go wrong.
(Maliha is a student of Bay View International School, Chittagong)
Eat on track
Prof. Mustafa Kamal Uddin
BOYS and girls today hardly understand what is 'nutrition'. Well, they eat a lot of burgers, fries and sandwiches. They get energy and feel very active.'Nutrition' implies that you receive the right amount of food to remain energetic. healthy and keep off diseases. What is important is that you have to take a 'balanced' diet which will help you remain healthy and protect you from diseases that occur due to 'malnutrition'
What makes a diet balanced or nutritious. In simple words it means you are to take the right proportions of various types of food. A person requires three main food values and they are carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. For example bread, rice, etc. provide costohydrates; meat, fish, milk, eggs provide proteins while fruits and vegetables supply vitamins required to thwart off diseases. It is commonly found that children and sometimes adults, too, do not like to take milk, enough fruits and vegetables- and fall sick very easily. You can consult a physician to advise the right proportions of food to form a balanced diet. This will be determined considering your age and physical condition. The pyre below focuses on the necessity and permissibility of the items of food to be consumed to maintain a sound health.
As it can be easily seen the items of food to be taken narrow up to oil, sweets and fat. That means oil; sweets and fat are to be taken sparingly and in little quantities. The other items of food can be taken in 2 to 5 servings a day. Note that fruits and vegetables are to be taken regularly and more in quantities than fish, meat or eggs. Eat a balanced diet regularly and remain healthy, energetic and lively.
(Professor and Head, Department of English, Bangladesh University)
 How do you Do?
Towsif Osman
FOR the last few days I have been noticing people with the new 'Amir Khan look' all over Dhaka. Although there were many variations of that in long hair, it's a bold notion I must say because wearing a do that makes you look like you go to a hair dresser who trips over in a straight line need guts. Also a do requires a lot from the doer to pull it off; I mean you should not act all responsible and careful with a hairdo like that break a few windows, be brave, be nuts, follow your idol. Don't worry about the straight jackets that are going to come after you later on! Anyway, this whole fad got me thinking of doing a public service for you guys. So here's what I found out that may go with your personality.
1. The Street Racer
This one made me think instantly of the future F1ers that go around Dhaka in their tuners (!), howling back at the dogs as if to announce that it's “our time!” Since they are in the habit of racing towards the chequered flag, having this do will keep their aims always on top. Also the added ventilation will help keep the cool.
2. The Ever Busy
This hairdo is totally iconic of our beloved shoppers (mind the 's'). If you went shopping with a proper lady, you would know what I mean. They tend to pass by the same display so many thousands of times that it really concerns me about their ill health. So here is a nifty idea of “killing two birdies throwing one dhil”. This 'chopper' hair is great for the fashion conscious and also, if you manage to install a small rotor voila! Your own personnel carrier! Saves you time and takes care of your feet.
3. The Worried
Hair-loss making you feel down? Have tried everything and failed miserably? Then stop here because your search is over. Throw away those 100% synthetic herbal medicine and do the do! A little longer hair on the sides and you are done. Put it anywhere on top or just send it cross-country (as in picture). Make the most of now!
And now it is time to end the fashion talking and start doing. Hopefully we will soon get to see some fly-bys by the chopper heads. So take up your combs and scissors and don't throw any of them at me. Curtains down, adieu!
I dedicate this to those seeing whom I was compelled to write this feature.
Image source: Google image search.
Meeting “the people”
Munzerin Shahid
 ON the 20th of July, Maliha, a friend of mine, and me got to experience what we saw only a few others experiencing till now. We never conceived the thought in our minds that the small debate competition we took part a month back would bring us where we are now. We did not think that the editor of the Star Campus magazine was actually watching the debate we performed with all that we had to give. It all was and still is something that took place in the blink of an eye. It passed by too quickly for my brain to decipher. Maliha told me that she met Shahnoor Bhai in Dhaka and him praising our team and his ingrained curiosity in meeting all three of us as soon as he comes to Chittagong were just things I heard and didn't entirely believe till he actually came here and wanted to meet us. Two whole days passed in rummaging my closet and on the 20th the day finally came.
Both of us went inside the Chittagong Bureau office of The Daily Star and were introduced to Shahnoor Bhai and Asrar Bhai, whom I was euphoric to find, was a teacher from JNU who simply loved our debate. We were introduced to the other staff members of The Daily Star and after that, actually took photos with Asrar Bhai and Shahnoor Bhai trying our best to pretend to be having a really serious conversation when we were actually having fun talking to both of them. Then it was time for the lunch treat that Star Campus had promised to give us and all of us went to 'The Pavilion'. Even while having food we were advised to continue the good work that we had put up and given a list of a lot of new good movies to watch and classics to read.
Even though both of them reside in Dhaka, we actually came to find that they absolutely loved Chittagong. They actually told us many other histories of the place that we were living in and yet were unaware of. They actually admired our work so much that they offered us to participate in the national debates.
This experience of ours definitely made one thing clear enough to me. That when I'm sitting down to write precisely what took place that day, I do not have many words to exactly describe it. People are actually right when they say “you can't understand something unless you have experienced it”. Great events are like villages by a highway. A moment passes while admiring the view and before we know it, they are gone.
(Munzerin is a student of Bay View International School, Chittagong)
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