Grades irrelevant in school promotions

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) have unanimously decided to introduce a significant change in their promotion policy, allowing students in class 9 and 11 to progress to the next level directly, irrespective of their grades. Under this revised approach, the traditional requirement of passing marks for promotion has been abolished. Professor Nasarullah Khan Yousafzai, Chairman of BISE Peshawar, proposed this innovative idea to address the issue of students dropping out after failing in class 9 and 11.

He recognized that the prevailing practice of not promoting students who fail in multiple subjects often results in discouragement and attrition. In light of this, he championed the notion that students should be advanced to the subsequent level regardless of their marks. “This novel proposal received unanimous support from all boards and was subsequently approved by the committee,” affirmed Yousafzai while talking to The Express Tribune. The new policy is set to be implemented beginning with the 2024 exams.

Background

The education landscape in K-P has been witnessing a prolonged deterioration, exemplified by recent decisions in public sector schools to promote students with as little as 10% marks in annual exams. Although the standard passing grade in Pakistan is 33%, the K-P government, led by PTI, introduced a policy permitting students to pass with just 10% marks, ostensibly aimed at reducing dropout rates. However, this policy has sparked concerns among education experts and conscientious citizens who view it as a shortsighted strategy compromising educational standards and outcomes.