Matric, intermediate students in dire straits in Balochistan

There is only one BISE Office for the largest province of the country

QUETTA: Balochistan is stretched over 43 per cent of the total country’s land, but there is only one Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Office in the whole province.

From the Iran border to Afghan border and from Zhob to Gwadar, matric and intermediate students spend thousands of rupees to come to Quetta to collect their result cards, mark sheets, certificates and get other relevant things done.

According to the Balochistan BISE, 120,000 students appeared for matriculation exams, while 80,000 for intermediate and the number is increasing by 10 per cent every year.

The incumbent provincial government has attached top-most priority to education; however, no practical measure for formation of more board offices could be traced in the province.

Coming to Quetta from Turbat after covering a distance of 800 miles for verification of his matric certificate, Naveed, 24, said, “As there is no branch in the Makran belt, we have to come here because it is mandatory for the candidate to come in person.”



According to Naveed, his stay at the hotel and travel expense has cost him thousands of rupees.

Like Naveed, the thousands of candidates appearing for exams encounter the same difficulties.

Balochistan BISE Chairman Prof Muhammad Yousuf Baloch said, “In order to facilitate the students from far-flung areas, we have formed a one-window cell where whoever submits their DMC certificate are given an e-receipt. Once their work is done they are informed through message.”

He said usually, the board office staff does overtime but during rush days “we withhold their Saturday leaves as well”.

During rush days, more than 2,000 people visit board office who are provided all the possible facilities.

He said, “There are difficulties in matric and intermediate examinations. Sending question papers from Quetta and then bringing the solved papers back to Quetta is a difficult task because the province is quite big, but despite of that the board office manages everything efficiently. The staff of the board office plays a pivotal role in this process.”

Balochistan BISE Secretary Shaukat Ali Sarpara said, “We have provided online registration facility to all colleges of the province so that they don’t have to come to Quetta again and again. Through email, we inform them if any document is incomplete.”

He said in the coming days online registration facility would be provided to the students of far-flung areas of the province so that they would not have to come to Quetta.