Federal Minister for Education said that exams will be conducted under strict adherence to SOPs
Cambridge exams are underway in Pakistan despite severe opposition from the students due to the prevailing coronavirus situation in the country. Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood called the current times as tough and said that difficult decisions have been made keeping the student’s best interest in view. He assured everyone that strict SOPs will be followed during the exam.
The Corona Conundrum
The coronavirus has affected Pakistan with a fair intensity in recent months and numbers have been rising across the country. Educational institutions have been closed several times by the federal and provincial governments to ensure student security. Another factor behind these decisions was the rising number of positive cases at educational institutions.
Appeals from the Students
Students made several pleas to the government and Prime Minister Imran Khan to delay the exams. Most students were concerned about the potential exposure to the virus and worried about their own health and the health of their families. Due to the constant closures of educational institutions, many students have lagged behind in their studies. While online classes were available for the most part, the structure of these classes was largely experimental.
Courts Reject Pleas
Several pleas for delaying the exams were filed in various courts across the country but were dismissed. Students were unable to attain even a single favorable judgment on the matter of having their A-Levels and O-Levels exams delayed.
A Moment to Ponder
Pakistan is a nation of vibrant individuals. We often achieve success even in the worst of conditions due to our ability to take unstructured decisions. Unfortunately, our decision-makers seem to lack this skill. Forcing students to take exams at this point in time is mind-boggling. Not only are they underprepared due to the flimsy online coaching, but they’re also at serious risk of catching the virus.
Typically over the last year, whenever schools have reopened, the number of Covid cases has gone up. Yet the government is adamant to hold these exams on time. Considering the fact that the third wave of coronavirus is pounding hard on the country, it’s no time to be brave and force students to take an exam that may be rescheduled for later.