KARACHI, Jan 11: The All Private Schools Management Association (Apsma), Sindh, has opposed the Sindh education department's move to change the date of commencement of the academic session in schools of the province.

Basing on a survey of a section of private schools in the city, the association maintained that the idea of delaying the new academic session for four months was uncalled for and needed to be discussed at all levels.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the Apsma chairman, Syed Khalid Shah, appealed to the Education Minister, Hamida Khuhro, to review her decision and not to insist on any implementation, as it entailed many problems, not only for the school management, but for students as well.

"If the session starts from August, instead of April, students of Sindh will remain behind those of other provinces. In case of change of residence and shifting to some other province, students of Sindh will face problems, as other provinces would have completed their matriculation exams in March.

Mr Shah also referred to a survey of about 600 schools on the issue of change in academic session and said that 408 schools favoured the existing schedule.

A similar decision was implemented in 1993, but things were reverted in view of its enormous practical problems, he added, saying that weather conditions did not encourage holding of exams in May, while Feb and March were relatively suitable as far as weather was concerned.

Coming to the establishment of the first educational board in the private sector, he said that it was nothing new, and his association had demanded such a body in 1993 in view of the then enrolment load on the educational board of Karachi.

He remarked the exam and school affiliation fees were exorbitantly high as compared to the existing government sector education board. As such, he demanded that fees of the privately managed board be reduced and brought at par with those of the government boards, or it would not serve the interests of the masses.

He also stressed the need for stricter rules for the private sector board, discourage it from exploiting the situation and not allow it to create a dual or class-based examination system. Rules pertaining to curricula, pattern and content of exams should be made in line with government boards.

To a question, he said that private schools were never approached by the government for its view on the issue of private board, before the promulgation of the related ordinance.

In the given situation, we cannot opine on the quality, validity and acceptance of the private board's working, but that it should be at least given a try, the Apsma chairman added.