Fair evaluation : Education minister inspects matric exam arrangements

Mashhood says zero chance of question papers being leaked

FAISALABAD:

Education Minister Rana Mashhood said on Tuesday that nobody would be allowed to gain political mileage in the name of education or commerce.

The minister made the remarks while speaking to newsmen in the city. Khan inspected examination centres established in connection with annual matriculation examinations there. The minister inspected the Government Islamia College for Women on Eidgah Road and the Government Boys Municipal Corporation High School on Kotwali Road on this account. Khan ordered the administration there to ensure that students were facilitated at the centres. He asked candidates at the centres regarding facilities they being provided to them there. Khan said it should be ensured that students did not have to contend with any problem compromising the smooth conduct of examinations. Colleges Director Rana Munawar, BISE Chairman Ghulam Muhammad Jhaggar and other officials were present on the occasion.

Later, speaking to newsmen, Mashhood said the comprehensive arrangements had been made to ensure that the examinations were conducted in a transparent manner the province over. He said there was zero chance of question papers being leaked courtesy the automated examination system. The minister said he had been personally touring districts across the province to inspect examination and security arrangements.

Replying to a query, he said 97 per cent of private schools were open across the province. Mashhood said the government would not allow anyone to seek political ends in the name of education or commerce.

The minister said the government had been talking to representatives of private schools. He said all outstanding issues would be amicably resolved.

Mashhood said the Punjab was the only province where the government had taken notice of citizens’ grievances regarding school fee hikes. He said the problem had been resolved by holding talks with representatives of private schools. Mashhood said action would be taken against schools where fees were hiked in violation of the law. He called on private schools to follow the set procedure in this regard.

The provincial government has allocated 27 per cent of its budget for education for the promotion of technical education to develop and promote knowledge-based industrial growth in the province, Rana Mashhood Ahmad said at the concluding session of an international conference on Tuesday.

The conference was organised by the Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF) in collaboration with other institutes. It was titled Global trends in Safe Food and Poultry Products

Mashhood said transparency was a hallmark of the government which was working hard to bring about qualitative improvement to various governance sectors.

“The vice-chancellors of universities in the province have been selected on merit alone…they have been delivering and we can see a marked improvement in the quality of education being imparted at public universities.”

Mashhood said the GCUF vice chancellor had been selected on merit. “He has helped raise the varsity’s ranking from 9th to 7th in the Higher Education Commission’s national ranking.”

The government has earmarked Rs16 billion for an endowment fund to help talented and financially-distressed students, the minister said.

The event was addressed by GCUF Vice Chancellor Syed Fakhar Imam and Dr Muhammad Ali. Later, the education minister reviewed the security system at the GCUF. He also led a rally organised in connection with the International Women’s Day.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2016.