Of exams and results

It is in line with bureaucracy’s reputation of making the possible impossible. The Sindh Assembly enacted legislation on July 23 to allow promotions without exams in view of the unique situation created by the coronavirus pandemic. However, much to the shock of students, the seven provincial matric and intermediate education boards have not yet received permission to promote students to the next stage. The authorities are waiting for exam results when exams were not held.

The Sindh College Education Department has not begun the process of admission for more than 100,000 students from Karachi to first-year intermediate. Things remain unclear as the authorities have so far not made any announcement in this connection. This is leading to confusion causing despondency among students. They fear for loss of one academic year. In contrast, the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) has announced the O and A results two days ago in the whole world before the deadline, even though Covid-19 has affected nearly all countries. The announcement of CAIE results will facilitate a group of students to pursue higher education without any difficulty. Moreover, private colleges in Karachi have already started online classes for first-year intermediate students. Other students will, however, continue to face an uncertain future due to the callous attitude of the government and its functionaries.

Officials of the Sindh education department and the other relevant authorities themselves seem to be confused as to the issue of promotions without examination, as they offer different opinions on the issue leaving the whole thing unclear. This is, after all, the way bureaucracy usually works. If an individual makes a mistake, he suffers its consequences. If the bureaucracy makes a mistake, the common people suffer its consequences. Here too the superior courts may have to intervene to make officials work, since lately the courts are ordering cleaning out of drains in Karachi, K-Electric to ensure uninterrupted power supply, and the railways to improve its functioning.

 

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2020.

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