Examinations to Return for Class 1 and 2 Students Under Revised Primary Assessment System

Students of Class 1 and Class 2 will once again face regular examinations as the government has decided to revise the primary-level assessment system, reintroducing exams alongside continuous evaluation.

Examinations for these two grades were discontinued in 2023 following the implementation of a new curriculum introduced by the previous government. However, after a review conducted by the National Curriculum Coordination Committee (NCCC), the examination system will return from this year.

The decision was taken during an NCCC meeting held on January 26, chaired by Primary and Mass Education Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana.

Confirming the development, Md Safayet Alam, senior expert at the Curriculum Development and Evaluation Branch of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), told bdnews24.com that the evaluation system for Class 1 to Class 5 has been revised.

Under the revised system, students in Class 1 and Class 2 will be evaluated through a 50 percent continuous assessment and 50 percent summative assessment (examinations) for subjects taught through textbooks and teacher guidance. For subjects taught solely through teacher-guided activities, assessment will be 100 percent continuous, with no examinations.

For Class 3 to Class 5, 30 percent of marks will be based on continuous assessment and 70 percent on summative examinations for textbook-based subjects. Similar to Classes 1 and 2, subjects taught without textbooks will rely entirely on continuous assessment.

Previously, in 2025, there were no examinations for Class 1 and Class 2 students, and assessment was conducted with 30 percent continuous evaluation and 70 percent exams.

Explaining the new system, Mafroha Nazneen, senior specialist at the Teacher Training and Assessment Branch of the NCTB, said the revised assessment structure will be effective from this year.

She added that each government primary school will prepare its own question papers for final examinations. If necessary, neighbouring schools may jointly prepare question papers. At least 30 percent of questions in summative assessments must be drawn from textbook exercises.

The NCTB will issue official instructions to schools after receiving the approved minutes of the NCCC meeting and will forward the guidelines to the Department of Primary Education.

Regarding pre-primary education, officials confirmed that no assessment system will be introduced, and the existing practice will continue.