DURING the last couple of years the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), Islamabad, has adopted a strange policy of allotting examination centres to schools/colleges on a reciprocal basis.

According to this 'barter system', which does not exist anywhere in the world, different schools/colleges manage to allot each other's premises as examination centres for their students.

Thus the management of the two institutions manage to mutually 'scratch each other's back', meaning if you help my students I shall reciprocate the same way.

This is nothing but providing an opportunity for corruption and unfair means which are aimed at achieving better results for the school/college concerned.

This year the FBISE has gone one step further by allocating different centres for practical examinations too.

As an example, all HSSC part II students of Shaheen School System E-9, Islamabad, have Fizzaia Inter College, Islamabad, as their practical examination centre instead of their own school.

This has been done despite the fact that the school has well-established science labs, duly approved by FBISE inspectors.

One fails to understand the FBISE's logic behind allocating examination centres at different locations, both for theory and practical examinations.

Why can't these examinations be held in the parent schools/colleges which have proper examination halls and administrative resources required for the conduct of examinations?

Why are they unnecessarily burdening the parents' resources and time who have to make special arrangements for conveyance for their children so that they can commute back and forth from examination centres located at places different than their own institution?

What does the FBISE achieve by making young children travel to unfamiliar and distant locations for examinations, especially when all examination centre superintendents and invigilating staff are external and appointed by the Board?

In view of the prevailing terrorist threats throughout the country, different schools have evolved their own security procedures to protect their students from any untoward incidents of terrorism.

One may not be quite sure and satisfied with the level and type of security arrangements existing at the examination centres located at other schools/colleges.

Thus students would always be apprehensive of the adequacy of security arrangements existing at premises other than their own and would be taking examination in a state of constant fear of being a potential victim of terrorist attacks.

Similarly, to enter high security threat areas, one has to acquire special security passes/procedures for entry during the examination period.

Imagine the amount of hassle both the students and their parents have to undergo in entering an examination centre located in naval complex E-8 or the PAF complex E-9.

I won't be surprised if some students miss or get delayed in reaching the examination centre due to conduct of security checks, especially on days of high alert.

So if this happens, who should be held responsible for the students' academic loss? The security officials or FBISE?

In view of the above, I request the chairman of the FBISE to look into this anomaly of examination centres' allocation on a 'barter system' and allow all those adequately equipped schools/colleges to hold Board examinations in their own premises rather than other schools/colleges.

While it may be late to change the examination venues for the theory papers, it would not be difficult to revise the schedule for the practical examinations which are due to commence by the end of next month.

SAEED NAWAZ KHAN
Rawalpindi