Pupils in Centre-run schools to be promoted without exams

The federal government has decided to promote pupils studying in schools run by it from classes I-IV and VI-VII to the next grade without appearing for examinations amid the closure if educational institutions because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

It will conduct exams only for students in classes V and VIII.

Sources said the students would be promoted to the next classes based on their last year's results.

Around 90% of students had passed last year.

They added that the Federal Directorate of Education Director-General Dr Ikram Ali Malik had sent a summary of compulsory examinations of classes V and VIII to the relevant authorities.

It has been approved by the education secretary.

The schedule of centralised examinations for students in classes V and VIII will be released by the FDE.
FDE officials said students in classes I to VIII were not promoted without exams last year.

The decision came as students from classes I-VIII are set to return to schools in Islamabad from Monday (today).

The government has already given the nod to the resumption of physical classes.

Earlier this month, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood had announced that board exams for students of classes IX and X would be held after July 10 only for elective subjects and mathematics.
The exams for students of classes XI and XII would be held for elective subjects only.

“This decision has been taken as students have different streams and directions so they will sit in exams related only to their particular subject of interest,” he said.

The government is firm to hold exams this year, after a giving a move over to the students last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The exams are being held this year amid declining number of fresh cases, as the country successfully battled the third wave of the infectious disease.

Education boards in the provinces hold exams for classes IX to XII – Matric and Intermediate. The curricula are divided in two parts – compulsory subjects, such as Urdu and English languages besides Islamiat and Pakistan Studies etc, and the elective subjects relating arts or sciences etc.

Mahmood said at a news conference that exams of XI and X classes – Matric – would be taken in only in four elective subjects. Similarly, he added, the exams of XI and XII classes would also be held only in elective subjects.

“The exam of remaining subjects will not be held. “The marks percentage taken by students in elective subjects will also be proportionately allocated to the [compulsory] subjects in which exams are not being taken,” he added.

According to the minister, the exams would start after July 10. He went on to say that the exams of X and XII classes would be held in the first phase.

After their completion, the exams of IX and XI would be conducted. “There will gap in each paper,” the minister added.

In order to minimise the loss educational activities because of the closure of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mahmood said the syllabus of matriculation and intermediate levels had been curtailed.