ISLAMABAD: Students in secondary and higher secondary schools who were passed in accordance with a new policy introduced due to the coronavirus pandemic have yet to be issued result cards by the boards.

Sources in the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) said that following a decision by the National Coordination Committee (NCC) to promote students on the basis of their previous year’s results, the Ministry of Federal Education or the Inter Board Committee Chairmen (IBCC) - the umbrella organisation of all boards - were supposed to issue a notification.

“We are waiting for the notification. Our homework is almost complete. Whenever, the ministry issues a notification we will start the process of issuing certificates and mark sheets,” an FBISE officer said.

Meanwhile, students and parents have been waiting to obtain certificates in accordance with the new policy announced by Minister for Federal Education Shafqat Mahmood on May 14.

Parents say like UET Lahore other varsities should also allow students to sit entry tests

“We are eagerly waiting to get certificates to learn the new formula applied by the FBISE while finalising marks,” a parent whose two children were passed in accordance with the policy said.

He said that students and their parents would remain restless until the mark sheets are issued, adding that nobody knew how practical marks would be included on results card and how the 3pc additional marks announced by the government will be incorporated.

When contacted, an education joint secretary said that in the next few days, the ministry would issue a notification for the FBISE.

“As far as other boards are concerned, I think their respective provincial ministers or IBCC will issue the notification,” he said.

The Ministry for Federal Education has been closed for the last three days after two officials tested positive for Covid-19. The joint secretary said that the ministry is carrying out its routine work through online meetings.

Students who passed the premedical FSc last year but could not gain admissions to medical colleges and had registered with various boards to take additional mathematics exams to switch from premedical to engineering have received good news, after the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore decided a few days ago to allow such students to sit for the pre-engineering entrance exam.

The students were initially going to take their two additional maths exams in September, because of which they would not have been able to gain admission to engineering universities this year.

“I was very upset about the future of my son, who wanted to gain admission to an engineering university, but his exams are slated to be held in September which means that he would not be able to gain admission this year. But UET Lahore decided to allow these students to sit for the entry test,” a parent said.

He said other engineering universities should do the same.

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Executive Director Dr Fateh Mohammad Mari praised UET Lahore’s decision, saying that when the matter was brought to his notice he also took up with the IBCC.

Educational institutions are closed until August due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2020