KOHAT: The administration of Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) has chalked out a strategy to protect the students from contracting Covid-19 on their arrival in large numbers after its opening and by holding physical written examination in small sessions.

When contacted, acting vice-chancellor Dr Tasleem Hussain said that 70 per cent course had already been completed online. The students have just to answer 30 per cent remaining course therefore their demand for online examinations is not justified now.

An extra one week exemption from classes would be given to the students for reading and laboratory work. After that the students would have to solve the 30 per cent course with the gap of one day which was enough to prepare for one-hour paper.

Similarly, as the students had lagged behind during online courses and examinations easy question papers would be prepared for them.

Dr Hussain regretted that those demanding online papers wanted to usurp the credit of the topper students as already the marks of online papers held on open book basis were more or less the same of all the students.

About precautionary measures against Covid-19, he said the students and staff would be tested at the main gate with the temperature gun and use of sanitiser and face masks would be mandatory. The weak and sick teachers and students would be sent back home.

To ensure self distancing they had decided to take the exams in four sessions in the same class by dividing the students into four sections. Each session would be of one and a half hours and a distance of six feet would be ensured.

Meanwhile, student leaders requesting not to be named decried the decision of the administration to conduct physical annual examinations after opening of the university, demanding open book method like online classes.

They said the online courses were also incomplete as the teachers would sent them five to six assignments at a time after every three days. They stated that written examinations would require months to memorise subjects which they could not study in days.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2020