Mismanagement: CIE students return empty handed

Students were asked to collect their O’ and A’ Level results from Regent Plaza.

KARACHI:

Students who went to collect their O’ and A’ Levels certificates from Regent Plaza on Wednesday returned disappointed.

The British Council failed to manage the distribution properly and had to turn away the candidates without their results. The council did promise, however, that the results will be dispatched to their homes on Thursday.

The council, which acts as the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, asked the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) candidates through text messages to collect their certificates during 10am and 4pm on Wednesday. However, its exam team completely failed to manage the situation when candidates started to gather at the venue.

Several candidates became angry when they were asked to return without their certificates. “So why did you call us here then,” asked a visibly annoyed female candidate.

“We did a mistake and we apologise for that,” said an official. “You have been asked to leave but you are being stubborn,” he said to a group of students before he scurried into the hotel corridor when The Express Tribune attempted to talk to him.

“The arrangement is pathetic and the candidates are not ready to cooperate as well,” said Muhammad Zafir, a Beaconhouse student, who stood amid the shouting and screaming. “They should form a queue at least.”

Malahat Radi, a private CIE candidate, told The Express Tribune that the candidate formed queues at least twice but when the council’s team failed keep up the pace, it disrupted the orderly process. “It seems the British Council has been trying to minimise the cost and earn some more profit by avoiding the courier service to dispatch certificates of result since the past two years.”

Meanwhile, The British Council communications officer Shahid Ashraf was not available for comments.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2013.