Tables turned as scrutiny fails to save students
BSEK chairperson presents answer copies of 344 students before the media
BSEK chairperson presents answer copies of 344 students before the media. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The decision of the Board of Secondary Education, Karachi, (BSEK) to scrutinise the answer scripts of the failed candidates before issuing the mark sheets has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the board.
BSEK chairperson Anwar Ahmed Zai presented the answer copies of 344 failed students, who had requested that their copies be rechecked before the media. Barely four copies had changes of a maximum two marks. "Not a single student has passed even after the scrutiny," he claimed, asking the journalists to check the copies for themselves and judge if the checking was wrong.
These results are of those 344 students who submitted applications for scrutiny on Monday. The board received nearly 500 more applications on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"The special team for scrutiny consists of five teachers, who are all heads of particular subjects and are working day and night to make the results transparent," explained Zai.
Showing the answer copies of the failed students at the press conference, he talked about how a woman on Monday was abusing the controller of examinations and the board's staff over the results.
She had said that her son had got 90 per cent marks in class nine examination results and now he had failed in physics. The scrutiny of her son's answer copy revealed that he wrote letters instead of answers, requesting the examiner that he be passed with 90 per cent marks. Zai showed the letters at the press conference and read out the contents aloud for the audience.
"The woman was embarrassed when she found out what her son has written in the paper," said Zai, further narrating the story. "The results last year were unreliable. Otherwise, how can it be possible that a student who scored 90 per cent marks in class nine fails so badly?"
Talking about the absent students or those whose schools had not submitted their practical answer sheets, he said that while the board has suspended the licences of such schools, cancelling their registration at this point of time is not possible as many students from that same school have also appeared for class nine examinations. "Once the results of class nine are out, we will then take strict action against them," he said.
According to Zai, all the 800 students who suffered due to their teachers' mistake will be entertained through a special chance. He directed BSEK examinations controller Noman Ahsan to accept those practical sheets and give results on an urgent basis. "The board will announce the results of these 800 students within five working days," said Zai.
He further assured the audience that if there was any mistake at the BSEK's end, such as a typographical error or any systematic problem from the board's IT department, it will be corrected.
"I am personally looking into the copies and deciding their results as we do not want to waste students' time and money," he said. "Presenting answer copies in front of everyone here is a proof that we are not wrong and ready to face consequences. But we will not compromise on the accuracy of the results even in a pressurising situation."
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2015.
The decision of the Board of Secondary Education, Karachi, (BSEK) to scrutinise the answer scripts of the failed candidates before issuing the mark sheets has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the board.
BSEK chairperson Anwar Ahmed Zai presented the answer copies of 344 failed students, who had requested that their copies be rechecked before the media. Barely four copies had changes of a maximum two marks. "Not a single student has passed even after the scrutiny," he claimed, asking the journalists to check the copies for themselves and judge if the checking was wrong.
These results are of those 344 students who submitted applications for scrutiny on Monday. The board received nearly 500 more applications on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"The special team for scrutiny consists of five teachers, who are all heads of particular subjects and are working day and night to make the results transparent," explained Zai.
Showing the answer copies of the failed students at the press conference, he talked about how a woman on Monday was abusing the controller of examinations and the board's staff over the results.
She had said that her son had got 90 per cent marks in class nine examination results and now he had failed in physics. The scrutiny of her son's answer copy revealed that he wrote letters instead of answers, requesting the examiner that he be passed with 90 per cent marks. Zai showed the letters at the press conference and read out the contents aloud for the audience.
"The woman was embarrassed when she found out what her son has written in the paper," said Zai, further narrating the story. "The results last year were unreliable. Otherwise, how can it be possible that a student who scored 90 per cent marks in class nine fails so badly?"
Talking about the absent students or those whose schools had not submitted their practical answer sheets, he said that while the board has suspended the licences of such schools, cancelling their registration at this point of time is not possible as many students from that same school have also appeared for class nine examinations. "Once the results of class nine are out, we will then take strict action against them," he said.
According to Zai, all the 800 students who suffered due to their teachers' mistake will be entertained through a special chance. He directed BSEK examinations controller Noman Ahsan to accept those practical sheets and give results on an urgent basis. "The board will announce the results of these 800 students within five working days," said Zai.
He further assured the audience that if there was any mistake at the BSEK's end, such as a typographical error or any systematic problem from the board's IT department, it will be corrected.
"I am personally looking into the copies and deciding their results as we do not want to waste students' time and money," he said. "Presenting answer copies in front of everyone here is a proof that we are not wrong and ready to face consequences. But we will not compromise on the accuracy of the results even in a pressurising situation."
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2015.