PESHAWAR: Students of O and A levels on Monday held a protest demonstration to demand of the government to cancel their examinations scheduled from April 6, arguing that they could not sit the exams due to spike in Covid-19 cases and lack of preparations.

They gathered outside the Peshawar Press Club, raising slogans in support of their demands.

Talking to mediapersons on the occasion, the students led by Zaryab, Aftab Ali, Owais, Hassan and Abdullah, said most of the courses had not yet been completed and the students were also suffering from anxiety and depression because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The protesting students said they needed more time to prepare themselves for examinations as the pandemic had caused serious mental problems to them.

They argued that examination schedule was repeatedly changed due to Covid-19.

Different countries, they claimed had already cancelled the Cambridge examinations, but in Pakistan the issue was yet to be resolved despite spike in Covid-19 cases.

The students threatened to stage more protests if their demands were not accepted.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2021