29 January 2004	Thursday	06 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Jan 28: The public sector schools and colleges in the city would hold declamation and national-song contests to mark Kashmir Day on Feb 5. The Executive District Officer (Education), Prof Rais Alvi, said on Wednesday that despite the fact that Feb 5 was an official holiday, students and teachers at their respective institutions would gather on the day and arrange special programmes to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

SCHOOL EXAMS: With regard to holding of annual examinations of classes up to VIII at schools, the EDO clarified that the decision to hold the examinations of class I to VIII was taken at a meeting of the steering committee of the Sindh Education department, which should be observed in letter and spirit by all educational institutions, including those in the private sector.

As per the decision, Class I to Class VIII examinations will be conducted from Feb 16 to Feb 28, while results would be announced on March 22. The EDO said that examination schedule could not be changed as schools would also be utilized as centres for conducting SSC annual examinations, commencing from March 8, and as such any change in the schedule could hit both the SSC examination candidates and the students studying at the schools, where examination centres would be set up.