All coaching centers in the country will remain closed from April 26 to May  23 for holding the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations smoothly, said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Tuesday.

She said this at a press briefing organized on the occasion of SSC and equivalent examination-23 at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital.

"A meeting was held today with all organizations concerned regarding the preparations to hold the examination in a copying-free environment,” said the minister.

The SSC and equivalent examinations will begin in the country on April 30.

Dipu Moni said that the examinations will be held on a short syllabus and the number of candidates is 20, 72, 163 this year.

She said although the SSC examinations are held in the first week of February every year, it was not possible to hold the exams on time like last year due to Covid-19.

Besides, the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent exams are likely to be held in the mid of August, she said.

Deputy Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naoufel , Senior Secretary of Technical and Madrasha Education Department, Kamal Hossain, Secretary to the Department of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) Soleman Khan, Directorate General of DSHE Nehal Ahmed, Dhaka Education Board Chairman Prof. Tapan Kumar and chairmen of other education boards were also present there.