KARACHI, Jan 21: The education department of city government has decided to hold centralized annual examination of male students of Class V and Class VIII at government schools in the city from this year.

In this regard, the District Officer Education (Male) has already started collecting registration-cum-examination forms from about 1,900 elementary and lower secondary schools. The last date for the acceptance of forms has been fixed as Jan 25, while the exams would be held from Feb 15 to 28.

According to sources in the education department, the idea of holding centralized Class V and VIII exams was brainchild of the the DO, who claimed that during his office at local bodies school wing of the city government the method was tested and found successful as far as transparency and uniformity in the examination system was concerned.

At present, about 25,000 male students are enrolled in Class V while another 3,500 in Class VIII at government schools in the city, who, under the latest plan, would have to reach other schools for taking exams. Examination of the students in question would be held only in the morning shift, added the source.

When contacted, the DO Education (Male elementary) Muhammad Shamim Khan told Dawn that the centralized system of examination was planned to improve and maintain a standard in school exams. It would also help train the students in question taking SSC examinations in future, he added.

He said that the proposal was presented to the EDO (Colleges) Prof Muhammad Rais Alvi, who is also holding the charge of EDO (Schools) for the time being, a few weeks back. After getting EDO's approval for establishment of examination board, related works were initiated, he said. A committee comprising senior educationists had also been formed to handle the affairs of the "Examination Board for Elementary (Male)", he added.

He said that question papers would be prepared by senior experts of the subjects. He further said that on an average 15 examination centres, keeping in view the accessibility of candidates, would be set up in each town.

Students would be issued admit cards for the exams, but, they were not required to make extra payment in regard to the examination as amount would be deducted from students fund already available with the school, he said.

Prof Alvi said the new system of examination was a follow up of decisions taken earlier by EDO Anwar Ahmad Zai. He said that similar arrangements for female students would also be made.