Education is the backbone of a society. Without quality education, no nation can prosper in any field. Unfortunately in Pakistan, the system of education has always been put on the backburner and a lack of emphasis from the policy makers has paved the way for ignorance and extremism. Only education can make people conscious of their rights and responsibilities and unless an individual is aware of his rights as a citizen, his duties and responsibilities towards his country, he can never contribute towards its welfare. Moreover, the flawed examination system, tainted with incompetence and malpractices, in which the undeserving candidates succeed without putting in efforts, raises eyebrows over our priorities, and is a huge predicament in the way of our progress.
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However, Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB) has defied all the odds and proved it with its well-organized and productive system of examination that there can be no compromise on merit. Though there is still a lot to be done to diversify it on the national level for others to reap the benefits, the performance of AKU-EB in the areas where it is present has earned praise from everyone. And, there is nothing surprising about it. All educational ventures undertaken by the Aga Khan Foundation have achieved excellence. Aga Khan Higher Secondary School is arguably one of the best in Pakistan and Aga University, the first private medical university known popularly as AKU, has already made its name internationally. Us magazine caught up with the Director Examination of AKU-EB, Shehzad Jeeva(SJ) , to discuss the examination system of AKU-EB, its distinguishing factors from the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK), and what improvement he thinks needs to be made to ensure transparency in the SSC and HSC results.
Dr Shehzad Jeeva has been associated with the AKU-EB since 2014. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (with honors) at the University of Karachi in 1999, where he was awarded the Best Young Chemist Award. He earned his M.S. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Karachi in 2000 and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge in 2007, where he received the Toby Jackman Prize for the most outstanding PhD thesis. Subsequently, he was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of York, UK and McGill University, Canada before returning to Pakistan. He is well known for his work in science education.
Us: Tell us a little about the AKU-EB, its goals and objectives.
SJ: Our primary goal is to improve and raise the standard of education, inculcate critical thinking in the students and get rid of the culture of ‘memorization of syllabus’ which has long been the practice in matriculation and intermediate boards. We take high pride in claiming that the students who take exams under our umbrella get proper guidance, and they know very well that there is no room for unfair means to pass in the exams and they have to deliver if they seek desirable results. However, with every passing day, we learn from our mistakes, too, and try our utmost to make the system better.
Us: In the presence of the Board of Secondary Education Karachi, why was the need felt to create an alternate board?
SJ: It did not happen overnight; to explain, I will have to go back in history to the ‘90s when around 20 schools approached Aga Khan University and identified the examination system as the major issue behind the deteriorating standard of secondary education. Their aim was the formation of a transparent board under AKU’s banner and ending the tradition of memorization in schools. It was not until 2003 that upon persistent requests, AKU set up an examination board and named it as AKU-EB.
We then developed the curriculum from the already existent national syllabi to make it conducive for the students and teachers according to the contemporary standards of education, and inducted modern methods of assessment to make the examination results error-free and unobjectionable.
Us: Does the GoP offer any financial assistance to AKU-EB?
SJ: Not financial assistance, but it facilitates us in every possible manner so that the system keeps functioning effectively.
Us: Is AKU-EB only for the schools in Karachi?
SJ: Not at all. We have expanded our network to other provinces as well, including Gilgit Baltistan and FATA. Our board is functioning in Karachi, Lahore, Hyderabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Chiniot, Larkana, Jacobabad, Badin, and small cities such as Talhar and Chenab Nagar. A school from Chenab Nagar in Punjab came on board few years back and I was so delighted to see a girl from there securing third position from all over Pakistan in AKU-EB exams. She actually sent out a message that no matter where you belong to, and whether you are rich or poor, hard work always pays off.
In order for a private school to opt for AKU-EB, it must have a reasonable place for a library and laboratory.
Us: Is the system of examination of AKU-EB different from Matriculation Board? How?
SJ: Indeed! The differentiating factors are evaluation of the students on the basis of their abilities of comprehension and conception, and transparency in conducting the exams and assessing the results. We have designed the syllabi in a way which is deeply embedded in the paradigm of ‘understanding’ what is taught, rather than memorizing. In short, it serves as a catalyst for the students to be actually insightful. Moreover, to ensure transparency, we have adopted the technique of electronic marking or e-marking which offers quicker and efficient checking and aids in attaining the anonymity of students and maximum security, so that graders don’t get into the trap of sympathy. A generalized examination answer booklet has been designed in which each page is bar-coded. It is scanned and processed, which supplements the level of integrity. We have also introduced CCTV cameras recently.
We have set the foundation of a strong platform in Pakistan and it’s truly inspiring to be praised and acknowledged by the national and international observers. We keep working on improving the quality of examination in terms of academia and operations.
Us: Do the teachers of other schools receive training to teach students according to your board’s examination?
SJ: Training the teachers of other schools is amongst our priorities. We organize an orientation every year to guide the teachers pertaining to syllabi and preparing the students for the exams. We even send our teams to different schools to train the teachers whenever they face any difficulty. From time to time, we come up with new initiatives. As of late, we have introduced online training sessions to expedite the process. In addition to this, we recommend those books within the national curriculum that are more vital to conceptual learning for the students. When students understand a topic from different angles, it eventually boosts their confidence and makes them competent enough for the future endeavours.
Us: A word about your workforce.
SJ: We are equipped with highly capable professionals, working in different departments, who are responsible for executing tasks, such as the assessment of examination, development of syllabi, and marketing and communication.
Us: Have you faced any problems or
threats from the extremist groups?
SJ: No, but I have heard about some misconceptions and inaccurate statements, over which I only say that we follow the national curriculum and refer to Pakistani books.
Us: A word of advice for the
readers of Us magazine.
SJ: I would especially like to advise the parents to talk about the value of education with their children because they are the future of Pakistan. They are going to lead our nation and will be among the decision makers. To the students, I would like to suggest to not just study for the sake of job; just follow your passion, and the job will itself come to you. Try to make a habit of reading novels and other interesting books. Reading will help you in liking your course books, too. We need to work hand in hand if we want to be remembered in the category of educated, prosperous and progressive nations of the world.