Uppal Kantir Sarkar, headmaster of Durgapur High School in Ulipur Upazila of Kurigram, is not leaving behind the controversy. Now he has been accused of distributing SSC admit card in exchange of money. On Sunday (February 11) the allegations were found to be true after visiting the school premises.
However, the accused head teacher claims that the money is being taken only from the students who have arrears for filling the form. However, the truth of such claim of the headmaster was not found.
SSC and equivalent exams will start on February 15 across the country. According to school sources, a total of 247 candidates from Durgapur High School are participating in this year’s SSC examination. The head teacher demanded an average of 500 rupees from each candidate in return for giving the admit card. He did not take into account the objections of the examinees, parents and assistant teachers.
The candidates complained that the headmaster Utpal Kanti Sarkar and office assistant Ahmad Hossain asked each student to take money to get the admit card. Out of this, candidates of science department were asked to pay Tk 520 and candidates of humanities department were asked to pay Tk 490.
On Sunday, it was seen that many people are returning home with admission tickets in exchange for money. Some refused to pay and waited in the school premises demanding free entrance.
The waiting students of the science department said that the headmaster is not giving the admit card without money. 520 asked to collect the admit card from the office assistant.
Students say, ‘We paid the full amount while filling the form. Still we are being demanded Rs.520. Many have taken the entrance card with money. We will not take admission tickets with money.’
A parent named Bayezid said, ‘My younger sister will take the exam. When I went to the headmaster to collect the admit card, he demanded 500 rupees. He said, give 10 taka less.
Office assistant Ahmad Hossain admitted the fact of distribution of admit cards to some candidates in exchange of money. He said that he took the money on the instruction of the head teacher. He claimed, ‘The head teacher has ordered to collect money from the candidates who had left money due while filling the form. But later after the matter came to light, he prohibited to take the money. We will now issue tickets without money.’
The office assistant’s claim was not true. In front of the assistant principal and assistant teachers present in the school, some candidates said that they did not leave any money to fill the form. However, they have been given the admit card with Rs.520. At this time the assistant teachers remain unresponsive.
Assistant head teacher Noor Islam said, ‘I heard that. The headmaster can say good about this.’
Headmaster Uppal Kanti went to the government room and could not find him. When we met him at the nearby Janata Bank branch, he said, ‘Taking money is not right. Money was taken from those who had money left. I forbade him to take it later.’
On the question of demanding money from all the examinees and collecting it from many, the headmaster said, ‘If that happens, the money will be returned.’
When asked whether it is legal or not to hold the admit card hostage after filling the form, the head teacher said, ‘It is not legal at all.’
On the way back from school in the afternoon, it was found that the examinees were returning home with free admission tickets. However, they fear that money may be collected from the remaining candidates.
District Education Officer Shamsul Alam said, ‘There is no opportunity to collect money in this way. The headmaster has been banned.’
