IN the last few days, students have been demanding the cancellation of online classes. Some suggested making sure the availability of internet in every corner of the country and then resume online classes.

On the other end, the Higher Education Commission has just declared that universities will resume studies online but didn’t say a single word for those people who live in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Gilgit-Baltistan where there is no network.

A few days ago, a student from Panjgur, Balochistan, shared on social media that he had to take an online exam but at that same time, internet was down and he could not take exam and was declared failed in two subjects by his university in Islamabad.

Of late, students from different areas started protests and Baloch students started a hunger strike in front of the Karachi Press Club. Following this development, a notification from the HEC’s website was circulating stating that students will be promoted to next semester.

After a few hours, it was learnt that the HEC official website had been hacked and the hackers had sent that notification.

I am unable to decide that to whom I should pay tribute. The talented students or to the HEC whose official website is that much insecure that students hack the website and wrote their demands on the notification. This incident has made one thing clear --our education system is not in safe and competent hands.

Khalil Ahmed
Hub, Balochistan

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2020