KARACHI, April 18: The Sindh Education and Literacy Department on Tuesday issued the much awaited notification pertaining to the conduct of SSC part-I (class IX) annual exams, 2006, under educational boards, in the province.
The notification said that the annual exams 2006 for class IX students in the province would be conducted by the respective educational boards like that of the previous years.
As per earlier decision of the Committee of Chairmen (COC) of educational boards in the province, class IX exams are to commence on June 20.
When contacted, Sindh Secretary Education, Syed Ghulam Ali Pasha, said that the decision to conduct the examination in question in 2006 as well had been made in pursuance of a decision taken by the Sindh cabinet and after consulting the federal government.
Following directives of the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, a meeting of the Sindh cabinet was held on March 22 and decided to reject the composite exam system introduced by the federal government, saying that it was not suitable for the students at SSC or HSC levels in the province and as such Sindh education department should go with the old system of by-parts annual exams.
The officials in the government took over two months in making up their minds on the issue of class IX exams. Considering the reservations expressed by the committee of chairmen of educational boards of Sindh, teachers, parents and students, Sindh governor, who is also the controlling authority of educational boards, on February 13 through a letter to the Sindh chief secretary, had sought a review in the matter of composite examination system.
Later, keeping in view the decision of Sindh cabinet on the issue and a declaration of the Sindh governor made on April 3 that class IX exams would be held separately this year, the COC of educational boards in the first week of April had confirmed June 20 for commencement of class IX annual exams.
Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, the chairman of COC, Anwar Ahmad Zai, said that SSC-I annual exams would be conducted throughout the province from June 20, while dates for acceptance of examination forms would be given by respective boards next week. He hoped that conduct of class IX exams would be completed in ten days time.
To a question, he said that it was hard fact that Urdu and Sindhi versions of part-II books of chemistry, biology and computer studies, were not available in the market, and as such the COC members had also reviewed the situation and resolved to ensure that no excess was made in the case of Urdu or Sindh medium students while setting up question papers in the three subjects in question.
In the meantime, the senior office-bearers of Private Schools’ Management Association on Tuesday said that since the due notification had been issued now, teachers and management of private schools should make extra arrangements, if needed, for teaching in theory and practical of the class IX students, who remained confused and waiting long for their examinations.
