KARACHI, April 17: The Private Schools’ Management Association has expressed concern over delay in the issuance of Sindh government’s notification pertaining to conduct of separate exams of over 300,000 students of Class IX, under educational boards, in 2006.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, PSMA office-bearers Sharfuzzaman, Jamalul Haq Siddiqui and Mansoor Sadiq expressed the view that the governor and chief minister of the province and Sindh cabinet had already voted against the system of a composite examinations after two years of studies at SSC level and they also obtained a nod from the federal government for conduct of SSC Part-I examination for class IX students, like previous years, but it appeared that Sindh education department had not made up its mind on the issue so far.

They said that from the very beginning the education department had ardently been advocating for composite examinations, contrary to the demands and aspirations of students, parents, teachers and school managements of the province.

However, when the conduct of Class IX has been approved by the authorities, it was unfortunate that the education department was delaying the relevant notification, Mr Sharfuzzaman added, saying that instead of complicating the situation further, education department should coordinate with all concerned right from Islamabad to Karachi in the matter so that the academic exercise and mental calm needed among candidates for examination could prevail.

The association’s office-bearers said that Sindh education department should also review the changes made in dates of commencement of academic session in the province. Though it was a one man’s decision for delaying the session till August 16 and observing a summer vacation of two-and-half months throughout the country, but the decision lacked uniformity as Punjab was observing its academic session from April 1, he claimed.

They also criticized the Sindh Textbook Board for non-availability of textbooks, including those meant for Class IX students, in the market.

The PSMA demanded that the decision on summer vacations should be revised and private schools located in suburban and middle income groups’ population should be exempted from different taxes.