KARACHI: Academics welcome cabinet decision: Composite exam system
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, March 23: Education circle and private school management associations have welcomed the decision of the Sindh government of upholding the existing system of by-parts Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations under the educational boards in the province.
They said both the Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim deserved thanks from the teaching and student community of the province for the interest they had shown in the issue of the composite examination issue.
It was now time for the federal ministry of education to withdraw its decision of conducting SSC (classes IX and X) examinations under a composite system from 2007 onwards so that the provinces could hold the Class IX annual examinations under educational boards, they added.
A senior educationist commented that had the Sindh education department taken into confidence the government hierarchy and other stakeholders, including students, teachers, school managers and educational boards, prior to its adaptation, the student community of the province could have been saved from lots of anxiety and confusion.
The decision, which was almost a bolt from the blue, drew lots of criticism since July last, but the Sindh education department never liked to pursue the federal government for a change of mind, and so much so that the governor and chief minister had to intervene, said an expert.
It was further said the federal government should do away with its plan of composite examination, particularly at a time when its education ministry was in a process of reviewing the implementation of the 1998 education policy and preparing a draft of the new national education policy.
In the meantime, the All Private Schools Management Association Sindh thanked the Sindh governor and the chief minister for reviewing the composite examination proposal through the Sindh Cabinet and deciding to reject it.
Syed Khalid Shah, chairman of the association said the decision of restoring the old system of yearly examinations for classes IX and X was in the interest of students and education in the province.
In an another statement, President Habibur Rahman of the Karachi Private Schools Management Association and its office bearers supported the decision of the Sindh Cabinet with regard to matriculation examinations.
They urged the quarters concerned including the Sindh education department to issue necessary notifications in line with the cabinet’s decision so that Class IX examinations could be held this year.
