Examinations to resume next year: minister

KARACHI:

With the Covid threat under control, the respite of pass without appearing for exams, limited syllabus and examination for only optional subjects is part of history.

The final examinations will be held in May-June 2022 in accordance with the syllabus which will be completed during the current academic year, Minister for Federal Education and Vocational Training Shafqat Mahmood said on Thursday.

“The A and O level examinations will also be held as per their schedule,” he said talking to the media after the 33rd Inter-Provincial Education Ministers’ Conference hosted by Sindh at a local hotel in Karachi.

He said last year all the educational boards had decided to take the exam of only optional subjects due to the bad conditions because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the inter-provincial conference of provincial education ministers, in which the chairman of the federal board and all the provincial education ministers were present, decided that the examinations would be held in May-June and would be in accordance with the complete syllabus.

He said the Coronavirus pandemic is under control so the academic year would now return to normal. Federal Minister said the federal government has started a program across the country especially for the education of girls to increase their presence in schools. He said, one of the weaknesses in the field of education was that there was no authentic data available, adding discussions were held to create an authoritative data organisation.

Meanwhile, Mahmood called on Sindh Minister for Education and Culture Sardar Ali Shah at his office and discussed issues of common interest.

Sardar Ali informed the federal minister that the Sindh Department of Culture, Tourism and Archeology has organised the centenary celebrations of Mohenjo Daro excavation next year 2022.

He said programmes are being formulated at the provincial, national and international levels to highlight the ancient history of Sindh linked with the Mohenjo Daro civilization.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2021.