In a first, private matric science allowed

IBCC secretary says notification will be issued after minutes of meeting are approved

KARACHI:

The Inter-Boards Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), a forum of heads of education boards in Pakistan, on Thursday allowed private students across the country to matriculate in science subjects in the same manner as permissible for students of Cambridge stystem.

Until now, only children studying in schools were allowed to sit in matric science exams. Students appearing in matric exams as private students had limited choice of commerce and humanities subjects.

IBCC Secretary, Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah, while confirming the decision taken in the IBCC meeting, told The Express Tribune that from now onwards, students can enroll in Matriculation Science from any Board of Education of Pakistan on private basis.

“We will issue a notification of the decision as soon as the minutes of this meeting are approved,” he said, adding that the minimum age for enrollment in ninth grade has been reduced from 14 to 12 years.

The decisions were made on the first day of a two-day IBCC meeting in Abbottabad on Thursday.

It should be noted that Dr Nasir Ansar, Chairman, Zia Uddin University Examination Board, had recommended that private students should also be allowed to take matriculation and intermediate examinations in science subjects like it was permissible for the Cambridge students.

Dr Mallah said, currently only matric science has been approved for privately enrolled students, while a committee has been formed to provide recommendations for providing the same opportunity for intermediate students. The committee will present its recommendations in this regard at the next meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2022.