KARACHI, Feb 12: The City Council on Monday blasted the federal government for insisting on the composite examination system to be introduced in Sindh for class IX and X, and termed the decision ‘illogical’ and ‘trespass on the domain of provincial autonomy’.

The council met in a requisition session which was presided over by Naib City Nazim Ms Nasreen Jalil and attended by 127 of the total 255 members.

After a heated debate on the issue, the house criticised the federal government for its ‘undue interference’ in a purely provincial subject, education system, and expressed concern over the Centre’s move to impose the composite examination system on Sindh.

The resolution adopted unanimously by the house on the issue noted that the move had created unrest among the students of class IX and X, as well as their parents. It urged the government to restore its previous policy and existing system in order to enable the students to concentrate fully on their examinations.

The house suggested setting up of a commission comprising education experts to chalk out and recommend a system and syllabi of national consensus.

During the debate, Haq Parast Group leader Asif Siddique vehemently opposed the composite examination system and observed that the decision had created unrest among not only the concerned students, but also their parents who were worried about future of their children.

“The ill-advised move will in no way serve the education sector, rather, it would badly undermine the entire system.” He pointed out that semester system was globally recognised for its merits while the composite examination system had failed to deliver in the past.

Leader of the Awam Dost Group Saeed Ghani condemned the Centre for interfering in the provincial affair, saying that the federal government had no right to dictate its terms to a federating unit vis-a-vis a purely provincial subject.

He remarked that the subject of education should not have been handled by a general. The policy matters regarding this subject, he added, should have been left up to the provincial and district governments.

He accused that the federal education minister of being incompetent for this job, and alleged that he had caused a complete mess in the system. He asked the government to review its decision on changing the examination system.

Leader of the Al-Khidmat Group Rafiq Ahmed said the Centre’s move fully reflected dictatorial style of the present regime which, he alleged, was subjugating people and causing miseries to masses. He said all decisions in the country were being taken at the federal level without considering their implications and the problems people would have to face as a result.

He said the federal education minister had taken several decisions that appeared contradictory to religion and culture. He demanded the minister’s immediate removal from such a vital position.

Haq Parast councillor Ms Shahana Ashar told the house that in this scenario of globalisation, switching over to the composite examination system was bound to create chaos in the education system. She urged the government to review its decision in the best interest of students and the parents.

A complete harmony between the treasury and opposition benches prevailed during the debate on the issue. However, some fireworks were witnessed in the house when a Haq Parast councillor passed some sarcastic remarks against the provincial education minister. The remarks, however, were expunged.

The HPG councillor, Mr Jalil, called upon the house to adopt a unanimous resolution pressing the federal government to reverse the decision.

Chairman of the Education Committee Mr Imran also criticised the proposed system and urged the government to review its decision.

Other members who took part in the debate included Sheikh Meboobur Rehman, Shah Jehan Baloch, Mohammad Islam, Abdul Razak, Syed Waqar Husain Shah, Begum Nasreen, Zahid Saeed, Ahsan Siddiqui and Ishrat Jehan. They deplored the federal government for its indifferent attitude towards the provincial governments’ views and educational requirements while framing the relevant policies.

After adopting the resolution, the session was adjourned.