‘Steps taken to curb cheating in matric exams’

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was informed on Monday that steps had been taken to prevent the leakage of question papers and to curb cheating in the matriculation examinations, which begin today (Tuesday) across the province.

Provincial Minister for Primary and Elementary Education Faisal Khan Tarakai, while responding to a question, said that examination halls had been shifted from private to government schools and buildings to prevent the leakage of question papers before the scheduled time. He added that examination staff and visiting teams had been deputed on merit through an electronic draw system.

“A total of 3,634 examination halls have been set up under all eight boards in the province, with 93 halls merged into government school buildings in Peshawar,” he said, adding that all private halls under the Kohat, Bannu, and Mardan boards had been shifted to government school buildings.

He said that teachers and other staff members of the examination boards found involved in the leakage of papers and other malpractice had been penalized.The minister also stated that CCTV cameras would be installed in examination halls, and visiting teams and officials had been directed to stay in the halls for at least one hour to prevent cheating and other unfair practices during exams.

Tarakai claimed that the education system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was improving compared to Punjab and other provinces and that the performance of government-run schools had also improved compared to previous years.

Earlier, Pakistan People’s Party parliamentary leader Ahmad Karim Kundi, in a call-attention notice, alleged that examination halls and staff had become business centers where private schools could buy and control entire examination centers of their choice. He said the provincial government had failed to punish those involved in last year’s paper leaks and other cheating-related practices during matric and intermediate exams.

Speaker Babar Saleem Swati advised the provincial government to focus on taking action against teachers and board staff facilitating cheating rather than punishing students.

The assembly was also informed about irregularities and embezzlement in the procurement of medical equipment during the tenure of the last caretaker government in the Health Department.

Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health, Ihtisham Ali, informed the House that large-scale embezzlement had taken place in the purchase of gloves and other surgical supplies for Timergara Hospital in 2023-24. He said an inquiry had been ordered to identify those responsible for misusing government funds.

He added that additional steps had been taken to ensure transparency in the Insaf Health Cards program and other services provided at public and private hospitals in the province.

Amendment bills related to the Right to Information and the Judicial Officers Welfare Fund were deferred until next Monday at the request of opposition members, who argued that at least three working days should pass after a bill is presented in the House. The bills were tabled last Friday.