Teachers association decides to boycott examination process

Decision came after CTD report that blamed SPLA president for cheating in exams


Our Correspondent May 26, 2017
Students attempting an examination paper. PHOTO: NNI

KARACHI: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) announced on Thursday a boycott of the examination process in response to a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) report, released on Wednesday, on the cheating scam.

The CTD, on the directives of the chief minister, was investigating the issue of cheating through Whatsapp groups in the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi's (BIEK) annual examinations of 2017. A week ago, CTD officials collected examination documents and interrogated officials during a visit to the BIEK office.

The initial report submitted by the enquiry officer, Naveed Ahmed Khawaja, pointed out that 13 copy-collecting-officers (CCO) were involved in malpractices, including facilitation of cheating and leaking of examination papers. The inquiry report stated that the 13 officials who were found involved in the scam were recommended for the posts of CCO and centre superintendents by SPLA President Ferozudin Siddiqui.

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In response to the report, SPLA organised a press conference on Thursday to clarify their position, and announced a boycott of the entire process of examinations, which includes invigilation, checking of papers and conducting practical examinations.

"We were called in by the BIEK to help them in the process of examinations and now they have actually blamed us for their mistakes," said Siddiqui, adding that the board selects CCOs and vigilance teams on its own and the teachers are not involved in any process other than performing duties during the examinations. "None of the teachers named in the report were interrogated," the SPLA president said. He further added that the decision of boycotting the examination process is a consensus decision made by SPLA's Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur chapters.

Siddiqui contended that the board itself was involved in the cheating scam and leaking of examination papers. "Acting Controller of Examination Muhmmad Jafar is the one who should be responsible for the mismanagement, not the teachers," Siddiqui asserted.

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He said the SPLA will not negotiate for resuming duties in examinations until the blame on the teachers is retracted and the real culprits are identified.

Meanwhile, BIEK Chairperson Prof Inam Ahmed told The Express Tribune that the entire process will be disrupted in case of a boycott and the results might be delayed. He said neither he had received the inquiry report, nor did he have any idea about the blame game. "We will try to have a dialogue [with the protesting teachers] only if we find [they] are innocent," he said.

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