KARACHI – Students of Cambridge Assessment International Education in Pakistan have filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) seeking to void the federal government’s decision of conducting physical exams amid the Covid-19 resurgence.
The division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar of the provincial court accepted the petition and issued notices to the federal education ministry, the Cambridge Assessment International Education, and Pakistan’s top monitoring body to respond in this matter.
Sehar Fatima along with a group of students filed the petition. The applicants argued that the federal government had decided that A and AS level exams will begin from 26 of this month while the O level examination will be held on May 10 as per schedule. The government’s decision shocked the students across the country, the petition cited.
It further added that the government cancelled physical school classes across Pakistan but on the other, they did not choose it for thousands of Cambridge students.
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Physical exams risk the safety of all participants and it further stated that the federal government failed to provide reasons why other countries opposed physical exams.
Meanwhile, The British Council Pakistan assured Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood that all Covid-19 standard operating procedures will be followed during the upcoming examinations.
Mehmood also told O, A level students to focus on exams as there will be no change in schedule.
Decisions regarding exams are final. Students should start preparing and working hard. This decision will not be changed so no one should have any uncertainty in their mind. Everything has been done keeping interest of education in mind. My very best wishes to everyone
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) April 6, 2021
