KARACHI, Jan 27: The annual examinations under various educational boards would be held as per schedule, finalised by the provincial steering committee on education, it was clarified officially.

Provincial education secretary, Nazar Hussain Mehar, told Dawn on Saturday that reports about any change in the schedule pertaining to the commencement of SSC (Matriculation) and HSC (Intermediate) annual examinations were not correct.

He said that matriculation exams would positively commence on March 1.

To a question, he said that if any of the educational boards was facing any resource problem it should intimate the Sindh education department.

He said that the education department would extend all support to the boards for timely conduct of examinations.

On the issue of students’ attendance, he pointed out that the Sindh education department adhered to the mandatory “75 per cent attendance” rules for students and no relaxation would be observed in any case

“The government is spending a huge amount on the education sector and it will be unfortunate if we fail to make students attend their classes regularly in the educational institutions,” he said.

A Sindh government handout on Saturday said that the Sindh education department was taking all measures to ensure 75 per cent attendance of students in higher secondary schools and colleges. Students failing to fulfil the condition of attendance would not be allowed to appear in examinations in any case, added the handout.

It was further said that results of students belonging to government-run institutions were not upto the mark as in the past there was no check on the attendance of students.

The hand out said the role of parents was also of great importance in connection with the problem.

Therefore, there should be interaction among parents, principals and school or college management committees regarding academic performance and attendance of students.

Meanwhile, the Board of Secondary Education, Karachi, has asked the competent authorities to allow it to hold the examinations in the morning and afternoon shifts, said the sources in the board, adding that adhering to the provincial steering committee’s decision of holding the matric examinations in one shift, ie afternoon shift, was not feasible in its case.