Continuity of class 6 and 8 board exams in 2027 to be reviewed

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) and the Bhutan Council for School Examination and Assessment (BCSEA) will assess if the Board exams for class 6 and 8 should continue from 2027 onwards.

The initial idea was to remove Board exams for these two classes  from 2026 itself given that Bhutan is adopting the Cambridge Curriculum which does not have board exams in class 6 and 8.

This was a move to align with the Cambridge Curriculum which is not focused on traditional rote learning but more on competency and analysis. There was also a feeling in the MoESD that there is a lot of impact of so many exams on so many young minds like the mental stress that students go through etc.

Under the Cambridge system the focus is different, and under an exam focused system the student may pass the exam but that does not guarantee success.

The MoESD asked BCSEA to do a survey which the BCSEA did by sending questions to some Principals, Teachers, District Education Officers (DEOs) some in the headquarters in Thimphu and some parents.

The idea was to do the survey and if the survey did not want the exams, then the next step would be to remove the exams.

The survey found that the majority advocated for the removal of class 6 and 8 board exams as they found it is not required and is stressful and increases student anxiety.

However, a BCSEA official said that the MoESD directed that the survey be withdrawn and not shared and that it was decided to have the board exams in 2026.

The official said the thinking is to let there be board exams in 2026 and as the Cambridge assessment system is adopted see if it is required in 2027.

Cambridge system will be adopted for classes 9 and 11 so that they can be jointly certified in 2027 during the board exams. For lower classes the changes will be adopted from some subjects first and then spread.

The BCSEA official said that while class 6 and 8 board exams which are considered more tough led to findings that students struggled in math and science subjects, it is not yet established that the quality of education has improved due to it.

The official said that improving the quality of education requires a lot more inputs than just exams.

It was mentioned that the class 6 and 8 exams is both an administrative and financial burden.

The papers have to be sent to various schools and answer sheets have to be collected back and then teachers have to be found to mark the papers. It is sometimes difficult to find competent teachers to mark certain subjects.

The cost of board exams in 2025 was assessed at Nu 150 million (mn), but the government only allowed Nu 120 mn. Around half or 60% of this is for class 6 and 8 board exams.

While schools should have two exams in a year there are some schools who conduct another exam just before the board exams to prepare for it leading to three exams in a year and the attendant stress.

The failure to remove class 6 and 8 board exams in line with the Cambridge system also raises questions on how other reforms from the Cambridge system will be adapted.

One of the reforms is doing away with the current pass and fail system and going for a grading system like excellent, good, satisfactory etc.