GUJRANWALA:
Several students and their parents protested at a Gujranwala school against ‘improper’ seating arrangements for Middle standard exams underway in the province.
The protesters complained about a lack of segregation between boys and girls, as they were made to sit side by side at Dhulley High School. This, several students insisted, was a cause of distraction. They said sitting next to the opposite sex prevented them from focussing their attention on the exam. Anam and Farooq told The Express Tribune that they could not attempt the mathematics exam properly because of constant diversion caused by opposite sex students sitting next to them. “I wasn’t comfortable sharing a desk with a boy. If this continues, I wont be able to perform well in the exams,” Anam said.
Parents of several students criticised the Schools Education Department for ‘not conforming to the norms of the society’ in planning the exams. They threatened that they would not allow their children to sit the next exam if segregation of boys and girls was not ensured.
Muhammad Azam, who was accompanying his daughter Zeb, said he had selected an all girls’ school for his daughter because he was opposed to boys and girls sharing the same space. He said the department should have kept the norms of the society in their mind while making arrangements for the exams.
Razia Khatoon, another parent, said she would not allow her daughter to sit the next exam if the issue was not fixed by the department till then. “If it’s not possible to arrange separate rooms for boys and girls, the schools can at least make them sit in separate rows,” she said.
Examination superintendent Arshad Mughal said seating arrangement was made according to the list of roll numbers sent to schools by the department. He said there was no way schools could alter these lists on their own. “If someone wants to boycott an exam they are welcome to do so at their own risk,” he added.
Mughal said if some parents were not comfortable with boys and girls sharing the same room they should take their complaint to the department. He said equipment available to the school was not enough for the number of students registered to take exams at the school.
Gujranwala Executive District Officer (Education) was not available for comment.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2012.
COMMENTS (13)
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@Ali Hasan: please tell me you're just being sarcastic!
This is utter arrogance by education department......those fools must realize there are alot of girl who are getting eduction against the will of their families.....this move can be an excuse to deny the basic right of education........
Dear ET
please there is nothing to report about it and dont make issues of such petty things plz
hits forehead
This is truly an outrage. Women have no reason for leaving the house and hence don't even need to be educated at all. To ignore that and go even further overboard by seating them next to boys is despicable. I urge the Chief Justice to take immediate suo moto action on this issue and apprehend and incarcerate all involved in this heinous abrogation of moral and social justice.
yes, going by this logic all the girls and women should demand a separate country for themself since they are different from the men. After all, wasn't this the logic for pakistan's birth?
It is a right that students may allow to give examinations comply to the local tradition and culture. The west is so much reasonable in these sort of matter that if any possibility to facilitate people according to their culture, it do so. But in our country some liberal and conservative extremists always indulge into the debate of right and wrong. Why dont we understand that there is no black & White in thoughts, the thoughts diverts from left to right and we must try to accomodate all school of thoughts.
This issue can easily be managed by seating boys and girls in separate class rooms, then papers may be rearranged after cloocetion. If not, one posibility is that in same class girls share same desk and boys other. I dont know why we like to be a part of problem instead solution.
Pakistanis are unable to distinguish between being liberal and being stupid. You cannot and should not force anyone to do anything. The pic in the news clearly shows that boys and girls being forced to sit together. This probably is the brainchild of some nymphomaniac.
If people want it and see it as the norm of the society, then they should be given proper arrangement. Their beliefs and worries should be respected, instead of 'imposing' your way!
we need to have separate provinces for boys and girls, only that would correct this historical wrong where boys and girls were forced to interact