The Primary Education Completion (PEC) and the Junior School Certificate (JSC) examinations for fifth and eighth graders, respectively, will be held this year too after the Cabinet rejected a proposal to abolish the PEC exams.

The primary education cycle in the county was recently stretched to the eighth grade and the entire process brought under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.

But the regular Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Monday decided against approving the proposal to abolish the PEC exams and called for resubmission of the proposal after 'further evaluation’.

After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam told reporters, “PEC and JSC tests will continue until Cabinet makes a final decision on the matter.