‘Golden Humans’ Are Far More Important Than Golden GPA-5s

Every year, when SSC and equivalent examination results are published, an invisible dividing line seems to appear in society. On the one side are celebrations with flowers, sweets, photographs, congratulatory messages and social media posts. On the other are silence, disappointment, guilt and the painful feeling of not having achieved enough. However, judging their worth and potential on the basis of a few examinations in a limited number of subjects is one of society’s greatest mistakes.

In the SSC and equivalent examinations of 2026, 1,138,877 candidates passed out of 1,829,485, resulting in a pass rate of 62.25 per cent, the lowest in 19 years. The decline in results deserves serious examination. Weaknesses in English and mathematics, comparatively poor performance among humanities students, learning gaps, curriculum changes and modifications to the assessment system have all raised concern. More than five lakh students failed under the nine general education boards, and some schools had no successful candidates. These problems cannot be overlooked. However, an even more important question is: after ten years of schooling, what have students actually learned beyond examination content?

Can they think logically, ask meaningful questions, distinguish truth from misinformation, accept different opinions, admit their own mistakes and stand beside others in society? These are also important outcomes of education, although no separate grades are awarded for them.

For a long time, society has treated a “good student” and a “good human being” as if they were the same thing. A good student is commonly seen as someone who achieves excellent grades, earns GPA-5, enters a prestigious college and later gets admission to a renowned university. But life examines people in areas that academic transcripts cannot measure: honesty, responsibility, empathy, discipline, justice, hard work, gratitude, respect for others and the ability to cope with failure.

GPA-5 is certainly an achievement, and students who earn it deserve congratulations. Their efforts should never be diminished. The problem begins when GPA-5 is treated as proof of personal superiority. The term “Golden GPA” has become so deeply rooted in our social culture that examination results are sometimes turned into competitions for family prestige. Students are compared with relatives, neighbours and classmates, creating pressure to prove themselves rather than encouraging genuine learning.

Parents often tell children, “You must come first”, but do they equally teach them to appreciate a friend who comes second? Children are repeatedly told to earn GPA-5, but are they reminded with the same seriousness not to cheat, insult weaker classmates, mistreat domestic workers, break traffic rules or humiliate others online? We often give young people the ladder of success but forget to give them the compass of character.

Another lesson from this year’s results is that pass rates alone cannot measure the quality of education. A lower pass rate does not automatically mean that education has completely failed, just as a higher pass rate does not necessarily prove that learning has improved. Examination results are only one indicator.

The weaknesses exposed in English and Mathematics, as well as significant differences in performance between regions and institutions, deserves attention. Policymakers should ask why so many students remain weak in basic subjects, why regional disparities continue, why some schools fail to provide effective learning environments and why many students rely on guidebooks and memorisation instead of understanding concepts.

Schools therefore need stronger support systems, subject-specific mentoring, competent teachers and regular assessment of students’ actual learning. The focus should be on improving knowledge, skills and understanding rather than merely producing attractive examination statistics.

Most importantly, society must change its attitude towards students who fail. Failure in an exam is an event, not a person’s identity. Teenagers have many years ahead of them, many skills to acquire and many possibilities to explore. Not everyone will follow the same academic route. Some may succeed through higher education, while others may build meaningful lives through technical education, art, sport, entrepreneurship or skilled professions. Our definition of educational success has become too narrow. If the education system cannot recognise different talents and pathways, then the failure belongs not only to students but also to families, institutions and society.

This is where the idea of a “Golden Human” becomes important. A Golden Human is not a perfect person. Rather, such a person remains humble in success and patient in difficulty, does not envy others’ achievements and uses knowledge and talent for the benefit of society. A Golden Human refuses corruption, respects people regardless of religion, gender, economic background or opinion, and understands that genuine patriotism means fulfilling responsibilities honestly.

Naturally, we want children to achieve excellent academic results. We want them to become scientists, doctors, engineers, teachers, administrators and entrepreneurs. But alongside these ambitions, we should want them to become good human beings. Talent without honesty can become dangerous. In contrast, an honest, compassionate and responsible individual can contribute greatly to society even without extraordinary academic achievement.

The language used on result day must therefore change. A student who earns GPA-5 should hear: “Congratulations on your hard work but continue becoming a good human being.” A student who falls short should hear: “This result is not the end of your life. Let us understand where you need support and help you improve.”
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The writer is an Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi. He can be reached at [email protected]