The case of the missing copies

Ten schools claim to have submitted physics practicals but BSEK says it has not received anything

KARACHI: "How can all 21 girls studying in my class only fail their Physics paper?" questioned Marium Yaseen, who scored 79 per cent in her class nine examinations but failed her in matriculation examinations.

Marium, who is a student of Mehran School in Orangi Town, came to the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) on Monday morning, along with seven of her classmates, to protest the discrepancies in their results. "All my class fellows have been marked failed or absent in their physics paper; there is some confusion or they must have lost our answer copies," she said worriedly. "Just because of someone else's mistake, I have to suffer."

The BSEK controller of examinations, Noman Ahsan, announced to the 300 protesting students that there are 10 schools in the city that have not submitted their practical registers to BSEK, which is why the students affiliated with these schools were marked absent and it was announced that they failed their physics paper. Ahsan informed The Express Tribune that 10 schools have failed to submit their biology practicals, 16 have not submitted their chemistry practicals and five failed to submit their computer practicals. These students failed their class nine exams and were reappearing for the examination. Ahsan pointed out that all schools responsible for the absent results of more than 800 students have been identified and their registration will be cancelled.

He also told The Express Tribune that the board had sent more than 15 reminders to the schools' administrations. Their principals were also approached several times regarding the submission of the physics practicals two days before the results, on a special chance date, but most of the principals were on vacation and did not bother to submit the answer sheets.

"We have proof of the answer sheet copy submissions and we can prove that we have submitted the physics practical answer sheet," Mehran School's principal, Ruqaiyya Qasim, told The Express Tribune. She also said that they have receipts, which she will present to the controller.

Resolution

To resolve the matter, the BSEK has set up information desks and scrutiny forms will be available from Tuesday, August 4, which can be collected from any branch of the National Bank, Habib Bank Limited, Askari Commerical Bank and BSEK's office booth. The form can be submitted the same day at the bank or board office with a copy of the student's admit card and a fee of Rs150. Ahsan also said that, keeping the situation in view, the board is entertaining student's applications as early as possible. "The scrutiny results will be announced within five working days, whereas the usual time limit for scrutiny is 40 days," he explained about the measures they were taking to resolve the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2015.