State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj stated that there is no discrimination against private school students in the primary scholarship examination. He made the remarks on Friday morning after visiting the examination center at Badshah Faisal Institute in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. The minister explained that opportunities are allocated proportionally, with one in eight government school students and one in five private school students eligible to sit for the exam, ensuring equal access.

According to the Directorate of Primary Education, a total of 640,000 students participated in this year’s exam, including about 550,000 from government schools and 90,000 from private institutions. A total of 82,500 scholarships will be awarded, with 66,000 going to government school students and 16,500 to private school students. The scholarship ratio stands at 8:1 for government schools and 5.5:1 for private schools.

The minister added that the exams were being conducted smoothly nationwide and that the scholarship process encourages students and parents to stay engaged in the curriculum. He also mentioned plans to update the scholarship policy and review the number of beneficiaries and stipend amounts to ensure maximum equity.