Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday commenced physical examinations for Cambridge O and A Levels despite the surge of coronavirus infections and ignoring protests from students over health concerns.
Pakistani officials assured students that “strict implementation” of health protocols would be followed during the exams. “These are tough times, and difficult decisions have been made keeping the students’ best interest in view,” Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said.
“British Council is committed to strict implementation of SOPs [standard operating procedures] and we will monitor them closely,” he added, wishing all the students taking exams his very best.
Decision criticized
The decision by the Pakistan government to hold the exams during the deadly third wave of the coronavirus outbreak in the country faced severe criticism from students and parents who demanded to postpone or cancel the tests due to the health emergency.
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Karachi
April 24, 2021
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday upheld the decision of the federal education ministry and the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) with regard to holding in-person examinations of A and O levels students in the country, and rejected students’ request for awarding school assessed grades in lieu of in-person exams.
The high court, however, directed the education ministry, NCOC and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) to ensure strict compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) during the exams.
Petitioners Sehar Fatima and others had submitted in the petition that the federal government had decided that A and AS levels exams would begin on April 26 and O level exams would be conducted from May 10 onwards as per the schedule, which was discriminatory as on the one hand, the government had deemed it risky and dangerous for students from 1 to 12 across the country to either attend physical classes or take exams during the
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Friday rejected two petitions challenging the holding of O and A level examinations by the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) in the country amid the surging coronavirus cases.
A bench consisting of Justice Syed M Attique Shah and Justice Syed Arshad Ali pronounced a short order after the completion of arguments by lawyers for the petitioners and respondents.
The petitions were filed by Syeda Hajira Haider and some other students, who requested the court to declare illegal the decision of the respondents, including the federal government and CAIE, about the non-cancellation of O, A and AS level examinations.