SWABI: The middle and secondary schools here have planned to conduct annual examinations in the last week of the ongoing month contrary to the established rule of holding examinations and preparing results in March.

Sources said that the district education officer (DEO) had asked the heads of all the middle and secondary schools not to start annual examinations in the last week of February and they must follow the annual schedule of holding examinations in March.

Officials in the DEO office told Dawn here that some educational institutions had planned to start examinations from Feb 20, which was against the rules.

One official said that it was clearly mentioned in the syllabus that the teachers would conduct revision of courses in February.

He said that this year end review could enable even the weak students to learn their lessons and pass their exams.

The heads of schools usually take the stand that their teachers perform duty as invigilators in the board examinations in March, making it difficult for them to perform their duty in home exams and check the papers properly.

The officials said that the BISE Mardan examinations of ninth and tenth classes were scheduled to begin on March 13 and there was enough space to cover school examinations before the board exams.

MEETING: Preparations for holding the elections of Swabi Press Club were reviewed at a meeting here the other day, which was presided over by Mohammad Arif, general secretary of Gandhara Union of Journalists.

Office-bearers of different unions of journalists agreed at the meeting that election of the press club should be held as soon as possible.

The participants said that they would hold a meeting with the deputy commissioner to request him for handing over the newly constructed building of the press club at Shahmansoor to them.