Courtesy Ministry of Education
Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood says all failing students will be passed with a minimum of 33 marks
Students of grades 10 and 12, who sat board exams earlier this year, will be granted 33 marks in all subjects to allow them to pass the tests that were taken during a difficult period of the coronavirus pandemic, the education ministers of all federating units decided on Monday.
“In the IPEMC, it was also decided that to calculate numbers in compulsory subjects, the average of elective subjects will be taken,” federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said in a posting on Twitter after a meeting of the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers’ Conference. “However, to facilitate students, all those who fail in any subject will be given 33% marks for the purpose of computing averages,” he added.
In addition to deliberating on the results of exams, the IPEMC agreed on several steps to ensure next year’s exams would not face any difficulties. According to Mahmood, next year’s board exams would be held in May-June, while the academic year would commence from Aug. 22. He stressed that there would be no reduction in syllabus in the next academic year. He said all universities would be allowed to make their own timetables for exams, adding that O- and A-Level exams would proceed as scheduled.
According to sources, the ministers decided to conduct matriculation and intermediate examinations twice annually from next year. They also deliberated on the prevailing spread of COVID-19. “The education ministers also felt that since widespread vaccination has taken place in the education sector, educational institutions should reopen as soon as possible,” Mahmood said. “A recommendation to this effect will be made to the NCOC,” he added.
On Tuesday, Planning Minister Asad Umar announced that educational institutions across Pakistan would reopen from Sept. 16, but stressed that they would continue to operate in a staggered manner with 50 percent attendance.