Financial Hardship Threatens Future of Top Performing Students Defying Poverty to Ace SSC Exams

Four high-achieving students in Bangladesh have secured Grade Point Average (GPA)-5 in this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, defying extreme poverty and significant socioeconomic barriers. While their academic success has brought pride to their families, these students now face an uncertain future as their parents struggle to finance the costs associated with higher secondary education.

Hazira Akhter Mitu, a science student from Garbhanga Secondary Girls’ School in Jashore, achieved the top grade despite a daily four-kilometer walk to school and financial hardships that often forced her to skip meals. Her family, which relies on fishing and day labor, owns only five decimals of land. To support her studies, Mitu assisted her mother in fishing and tutored younger students. Aiming to become a doctor, Mitu remains anxious about the mounting costs of college admission and educational materials.

In Nilphamari, Musfiqur Rahman also earned a GPA-5 from Khaturia High School, driven by his ambition to become a software engineer. Despite his interest in digital technology, his family’s limited resources—relying on his father’s seasonal work as a cattle trader—have left his education at a crossroads. Teachers noted that Musfiqur was provided with tuition waivers, but further financial assistance is required to ensure he can pursue higher studies.

Nadia Afrin, a student from Ikarchali High School in Rangpur, achieved a GPA-5 without the benefit of private coaching or external tutoring, which are common practices for many students in the region. The daughter of a day laborer, Nadia’s academic drive persisted despite her family’s struggle to secure daily meals. Her father, Keramat Ali, stated that despite his efforts to support her through debt, the financial burden of college education poses a significant threat to her dream of becoming a physician.

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Similarly, Mariyam Khatun of Sirajganj, the daughter of a rickshaw driver, secured a GPA-5 from Raiganj Upazila Sadar Girls’ High School. As the youngest of five siblings, she is the first to achieve such academic success, and she remains determined to pursue science in college to eventually support her family. Her parents have expressed a strong desire to continue her education, though they acknowledge the financial strain will be difficult to manage without external support.

Educators across these districts have characterized the performances of these four students as exceptional, noting that their success is a testament to personal resilience. However, school officials have emphasized that without institutional or community-based financial assistance, the academic journey of these promising students risks being prematurely cut short by the cycle of poverty.