ISLAMABAD, Jan 17: Federal education minister Zobaida Jalal on Friday announced that children suffering from any physical disability would soon be given exemption in examination fees while taking Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examinations from the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE).

The announcement came during her visit to the FBISE. She said special children, including those having physical disabilities like blindness, numbness and deafness, would also benefit from the decision in SSC and HSSC examinations.

The FBISE should serve as a role model for other educational boards, the minister suggested. The government is making all out efforts to bring revolutionary changes in the education system. It is evident from the fact that the now the education system has become more student friendly, besides many policies have been introduced in the education sector after consulting students.

“My ministry will be a facilitator of change, instead of becoming a victim of change,” Ms Jalal said, adding that education was the key to success and the present generation should divert its energies towards the attainment of this noble objective.

She said the education ministry would take every step possible in the larger public interest. She also expressed her satisfaction over the working of the FBISE and urged other educational boards to improve their working in the similar manner.

Earlier, the FBISE chairman, Cdre Shamshad Ahmad (retired), in a presentation to the minister, said the board had improved a lot in its working and dealing with the people. The system of examination had been made more transparent and easy for the students, and the new system was totally fool proof.

He said certificates, degrees and answer sheets contained luminous logos, which could only be seen under ultra violet light. Moreover, the board has started a one-window operation in its premises where the staff is available round-the-clock to answer queries of the students. The dispatch system has also been improved and the students now get their roll numbers much before time, the minister was told.