KARACHI The Sindh government has dispensed with the condition of compulsory uniform for students of all government schools and colleges, and allowed the use of Ajrak as a scarf.

This decision was announced by Senior Education Minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq while briefing newsmen after presiding over a meeting of the steering committee on education held here on Tuesday evening.

On the issue of the number of annual holidays in educational institutions, a sub-committee headed by Education Secretary Rizwan Memon was formed. The secretary was asked to submit his recommendations within 15 days.

The meeting drastically cut examination fees. According to the decision, the intermediate (science) examination fee has been reduced from Rs950 to Rs550, intermediate arts and commerce fee from Rs750 to Rs500.

The committee expressed its concern over the rising trend of cheating in examinations and decided to check it strictly and adopt new ways to improve the examination system.

The meeting also decided to enforce a state of emergency around the centres of examinations of the boards and colleges and that examination centres would be set up only in government institutions. It also decided to hire internal and external invigilators who must not be in a grade lower than grade 17.

If any college principal [or headmaster /headmistress] declined to perform the examination duty, disciplinary action would be taken against them, it said.

The meeting also decided that the system of automatic promotions up to class three from class one would be conditional with tests, but the age limit was waived for appearing in such tests.

The meeting of the steering committee on education also revised the schedule for various examinations. According to the revised schedule, examinations up to middle class would be conducted by March 15 and secondary school examination would begin on March 24 and intermediate on April 27.

The results of SSC exams would be announced by July 15, inter exams of the Karachi boards by Aug 31, and other boards in the province would announce results by Aug 16.

Answering a question, the education minister said that if the government decided to observe two weekly holidays, the decision would not apply to educational institutions.

The meeting deferred a decision on disbanding of evening classes in Karachi and the issue would be taken up at the next meeting of the steering committee.

Those who attended the meeting were Education Secretary Prof Rizwan Memon, Director of Colleges Prof Rafiq Siddiqui and all EDOs of education.