Sindh to promote students of grades I through VIII without exams

KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said on Tuesday that students of classes I through VIII across the province will be promoted to the next grades without having to take the annual examinations, but school administrators can have them take exams on important subjects.

To decide the fate of students appearing for the annual exams of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC), the relevant steering committee has constituted another committee. The body comprises chairpersons of public education boards, representatives of private boards, including the Aga Khan University Examination Board and Ziauddin University Examination Board, the college education secretary and a representative of the universities and boards department. The committee has been tasked with preparing its report within 24 hours and present it to Ghani. “I will present the report to the National Coordination Committee [NCC], and whatever it decides will be implemented in the province,” said the education minister.

"The Sindh government won’t take even 1 per cent risk in the matter of children’s health. If the COVID-19 situation continues to remain the same, we’ll close all educational institutions for five years, but alternative mode of education will be introduced.”

The steering committee’s meeting was chaired by Ghani, and attended by School Education Secretary Syed Khalid Haider Shah, College Education Secretary Baqir Naqvi, chairpersons of exam boards, representatives of private schools’ associations and others.

The meeting continued for more than two hours and discussed in detail the matters related to the academic year, end of holidays, exams and other education-related issues.

Ghani told a news conference after the meeting of the steering committee that two days ago the federal education minister had said in the NCC meeting that the SSC and HSSC exams would not be conducted and all students would be promoted to the next grade.

However, said Ghani, the federal minister had not consulted Sindh on the matter, so the provincial government made it clear to him that Sindh’s education department would devise a plan of action after consulting with the steering committee. He said the federal minister admitted last night that he was facing difficulties in the implementation of his decision and he would hold consultations over it again in two days. Ghani said the steering committee had discussed the matter in detail and concluded that the law might have to be amended, adding that educational institutions could not be reopened on June 1, and that the matter would be decided later.

“We’ve also completed preparations for the provision of online education in government schools and started working for the provision of education in remote villages and hamlets where there is no internet facility.”

Replying to a question, he said that some Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders had held a news conference a day earlier and criticised the Indus Hospital that had been doing a great job. He pointed out that the credibility of the Indus Hospital could not be doubted, and that the only fault of the hospital’s administration was that they were working with the Sindh government for the well-being of poor patients.

“We condemn the PTI’s attempt for making the Indus Hospital controversial. There are confirmed victims of Ronavirus [crying virus]. After this, PTI leaders have lost all humanity and conscience.”

He said the PTI and the novel coronavirus have a close relationship that needs to be investigated, adding that the federal finance minister is coming to Karachi not to fight against the virus but for some other purpose.

Ghani also criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for keeping the portfolio of the federal health ministry, saying that the PM neither attends the National Assembly’s meetings nor is he able to come to Sindh.