Not possible to promote students without exams this year: Shafqat Mahmood

ISLAMABAD – The Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Shafqat Mahmood Sunday reiterated that promoting students without examinations is almost impossible this year.

Speaking about the issue on a private news channel, the PTI leader said the authorities witnessed several irregularities in the grading system after deciding to promote the students last year. Many performing students had been given poor grades whereas the British Council also agreed to conduct exams following the Covid related SOPs.

‘No one could predict the future of the ongoing pandemic. Also, the decisions of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) were not solely taken by me’, he responded to a query.

All provincial ministers attended the NCOC sessions and the decisions have been taken with a consensus.

The ruling party leader also mentioned that a number of parents also favoured examinations and are requesting the authorities to conduct exams as their children have completed their preparations.

Expressing discontent on the matter, he added that at least five million students had been promoted without exams last year and if we continue promoting without taking exams, children will stop continuing to study. Grades will not be awarded to anyone without appearing in the exams, he clarified.