KARACHI: There are colleges in the metropolis that have as few as one student. And not taking advantage of the individual attention that the student might be receiving, that one, too, remained unsuccessful in exams. This emerged during a media briefing called by the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) on Thursday.

The colleges came into notice due to their low passing ratio that has remained consistently so for the past five years. After looking at this year’s pre-medical, pre-engineering and general science results, the BIEK has compiled a list of the colleges whose passing ratio remained less than 33 per cent. All are now required to go through special inspection to ascertain the competence of their staff and the quality of teaching.

The institutions have been divided into three categories. This year there are 63 government colleges, 15 government higher secondary schools and 36 private institutions whose pass percentage remained less than 33pc in pre-medical group. Similarly, in pre-engineering group, there are 52 government colleges, 15 government higher secondary schools and 44 private institutions with less than 33pc pass percentage. In general science group, there are 10 government colleges, one government higher secondary school and 25 private institutions where less than 33pc students passed the intermediate exam.

“By law, a chairman can take action against such colleges. Maximum punishment for such educational institutions can be withdrawal of their recognition from the board and minimum can range from a warning to suspension for a year or two,” said BIEK chairman Mohammad Akhtar Ghori.

Asked what would happen to the students of an institution that may lose its affiliation with the BIEK, the chairman said his aim was never to hurt any student due to his actions. “I only want to bring improvement in the education system. If no one takes an initiative now, the students will suffer anyway, as the system fails,” he explained.

The matters of government colleges are handled by the director general of colleges while the government higher secondary schools come under the director of schools as the private institutions are the responsibility of the director general of private institutions in the education department.

The inspection of all the institutions on the list will be carried out on top priority to be completed by September 10. “We want all the reports before October when classes will commence,” the chairman said.

In this regard, a letter has been sent to the director general of colleges with carbon copies for the secretary of the education and literacy department, secretary to the chief minister (board and universities) at Chief Minister’s Secretariat and the military secretary to the governor.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

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