240 teachers summoned over cheating allegations

Anyone found involved will not be spared from punishment, says education secretary

KARACHI: Teachers found helping students cheat in exams are now facing a trial of their own. School Education Secretary Qazi Shahid Parvez has summoned 240 such teachers, who were absent from the examination room for invigilation duty to his office. They were issued notices to which they submitted replies. They have now been summoned for in-person hearings with the edcuation secretary.

Parvez said that departmental action would be taken against teachers who fail to furnish answers. He said that it is the failure of teachers and the invigilators present in the room if a student cheats during exams. He added, "We weren't invigilating the exams ourselves but since we are the heads of the teachers, it is our duty to monitor them". Show-cause notices were issued to the teachers according to the law and they have submitted their replies in this regard. Now their hearings are underway.

"If a teacher's name is included, even if they did not have duty on the given day, we will still investigate the matter". Parvez added that they were not there to simply punish people, rather to give justice. He said that anyone found involved in cheating would not be spared from punishment. He added that since this was the first year, they will try to be lenient in their punishment.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2019.