CIE results 2023: How to address Cambridge students' grievances

Career counsellor and educationist Syed Abidi suggested that school associations should take up students’ grievances with the international educational body as students across Pakistan continue to protest their Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) AS and A-Level results.

More than 45,000 students had been holding demonstrations expressing their dismay at AS and A-Level results announced on August 10 by CIE on an average points system. The reason for this is that regular examinations were cancelled due to political unrest ensuing across the country following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9.

During an interview on the morning show "Geo Pakistan" on Wednesday, Abidi asserted that the schools were also major stakeholders along with the students when results are announced.

“It is the school which charges heavy fees from the students and it is the school which takes pride when one of the students gets admission in Harvard University,” Abidi said.

“Cambridge had also given the option to take the examination in October/November if they are not taken due to some unrest. The schools should stand and charge no fees for that and prepare students for exams by giving them tuition separately if such incident occurs.”

Abidi further suggested that Cambridge should hold talks with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to explain why students were graded in such a manner.

“I am sure that Cambridge takes on board education ministries all over the world and Pakistan’s education ministry is on board as well. Let them figure a way out. A meeting can be held between the Cambridge officials and the vice-chancellors of different universities to discuss students’ grades because, at the end of the day, these affect university admissions and scholarships.”

Furthermore, Abidi said Cambridge had not closed its doors to the students and that they can take the case that they had been graded in such a manner themselves.

“The (marked) papers are delivered at home,” he said. “The students can avail this option.”

Cambridge International, a not-for-profit organisation, part of the world-renowned University of Cambridge and the world’s largest provider of international education programmes and qualifications for 3 to 19-year-olds will release results from its June 2023 exam series to over half a million students worldwide, including over 100,000 students in Pakistan combined for IGCSE, O Level and International AS and A-levels.