IHC throws out plea for online exams

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of the petition against online school exams and referred the matter to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah presided over the case regarding online exams amid coronavirus pandemic on Monday.

The petitioner’s lawyer, Advocate Rehan Uddin, said the coronavirus was spreading rapidly while the exams were starting in schools from Tuesday (today). He said the virus spread from schools while the families of students were also at risk.

Minallah recalled the Supreme Court’s orders according to which the courts could not interfere in policy matters of educational institutions. Therefore, the IHC disposed of the petition and referred the matter to NCOC.Academic year

Meanwhile, the decision of starting the academic year in August has disappointed parents and teachers like past as it could waste the next academic year of students.

Read Covid caseload up by 190 in Islamabad

The government should review the decision and start the academic activities in April, said All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association President Malik Abrar Hussain at a meeting of the association.

He said the rulers had pushed the education sector to the brink of disaster by conducting new experiments. “Not adopting a clear policy on a single national curriculum is tantamount to destroying the sector.”

Hussain demanded of the government to formulate a comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of education.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2021.