Lahore Board SSC HSSC Annual Examination

BISE Lahore SSC (MATRIC) ANNUAL EXAMINATION, 2010 WILL BE CONDUCTING ON MARCH 13, 2010

Lahore Board INTERMEDIATE (PART I/II) ANNUAL EXAMINATION, 2009 WILL BE CONDUCTING ON MAY 08, 2010.

Lahore Board Old Papers

Board staff strike: SSC exams may not be held on schedule

RAWALPINDI, Annual examination for secondary school certificate (SSC) may not be held according to schedule on March 13 because of strike of the employees of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE).

Even the initial scrutiny of the applications forms of the candidates could not be completed because of the strike over the withdrawal of admission fee from students of public institutions.

Workers of BISE Rawalpindi here on Monday blocked the 6th Road in front of their office and continued their protest against provincial government’s decision of the wavering the examination fees.

The workers fear that the decision will make the board financially vulnerable and have demanded the chief minister Punjab to take measures to rescue the examination bodies from going bankrupt as admission fees were not being received this year.

Talking to Dawn, BISE Employees Welfare Association general secretary Mehr Muhammad Akbar said the board usually started distributing roll number slips to the students two weeks before the starting the start of matriculation examination. He said the process was stalled because of the strike.

He said the government instead of resolving the issue was considering conducting the SSC examination by hiring university teachers and clerks from other departments if the strike continued.

Mr Akbar said government should redress grievances of the employees and that the examination conducted by the outsiders would not be successful as, he added, there were few days to prepare for the exercise.

He said about 124, 000 students had submitted examination forms with the board and it had to set up over 400 examination centers in four districts, besides arranging to convey question papers and answering sheets to the examination staff.

The representative of the board employees said they met Punjab Education Minister Mian Shujahur Rehman four days ago and the minister had assured them to arrange their meeting with the CM. But, no response has yet come from the minister.

Expressing solidarity with the staff of the BISE, representatives of Punjab Teachers Union announced that no school teacher would perform duties for upcoming SSC examinations across the province.

Finance Department denies BISE more funds

Lahore, The Punjab Finance Department on Thursday turned down a request by the Education Department for the provision of Rs 750 million as a supplementary grant to meet the expenditures of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE).

In December 2009, employees of various unions, along with BISE workers, observed a complete pen-down strike and held protests. They were protesting the Punjab chief minister’s (CM) announcement regarding the abolition of examination and registration fees for students of public sector educational institutions.

They claimed that since the educational boards were autonomous bodies and generated revenue on their own, the CM’s decision would have an adverse financial impact on education boards.

President for Employees Association BISE, Muhammad Aslam, said the protest would continue until the government provided funds to the Education Department. “The government should either reverse the decision or provide funds immediately; otherwise, no exams would be conducted,” he said.

BISE pen-down strike threatens matric exams

Lahore, Employees of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore on Wednesday observed a pen-down strike and demonstrated in front of the BISE building.

The employees shouted slogans against the government for not issuing a grant to the education department in relation to the payment of the matriculation examination fees. They demanded the government releases grants for payment of the fees immediately as promised, instead of abolishing the cost requirement altogether.

Earlier this week, the Employees Welfare Union of BISE had threatened to boycott the upcoming matriculation examinations.

In December 2009, employees of various unions, along with BISE members, observed strikes and protested against the announcement of the Punjab chief minister (CM) regarding the abolition of examinations and registration fees for students of public sector educational institutions.

They claimed that since the educational boards were autonomous bodies and generated revenue on their own, the CM’s decision would have an adverse financial impact on education boards.

Minimum age limit for Matric exam under fire

LAHORE, The Inter Board Committee of Chairmen has been criticized for barring candidates below 14 years of age to appear in the Class-9 examination.

The decision that a candidate should be at least 14-year-old for appearing in the examination of the Secondary School Certificate-I (Class 9) was taken by IBCC in its meeting held in March.

However, the stakeholders, especially students and parents, came to know about the decision after the IBCC notified it to boards across the country in April. Subsequently, the boards forwarded the same to the educational institutions to ensure its implementation and the institutions started informing parents about the move following which the public resentment started to appear.

The notification (No FBISE/ REGN/ NOTIF/AGE/SSC-I/1983), issued by Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, a copy available with The News, reads “In pursuance of Resolution No 12 of 123rd IBCC meeting held on 11-12 March 2009, conveyed to the Boards vide letter No F.7-29/ 2008/IBCC/Edu-Sys/ 5809-51 dated 15-04-2009, it has been decided that the minimum age limit of 14 years is prescribed for appearing in the SSC (Matriculation Part-I).”

Talking to The News, students, their parents and teachers expressed concerns over the minimum age limit for Class 9 exam, saying any such decision should not have been made without consulting them.

Jamshaid, father of a student, said his son was declared ineligible for appearing in the SSC Examination 2010 by his school management owing to the minimum age limit. He said: “Why my child should not appear in exam when he is prepared for it,” and added that the move was likely to affect the child’s creative abilities. He said there were hundreds of such students in schools, adding that the move would deprive them of their right to appear in exams in 2010.

The father of another student said: “This is quite strange and unfortunate,” adding: “Instead of recognising abilities of a talented student; he/she is being denied the right to sit in exam.”

It is pertinent to mention here that in 2006, the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had recognised the efforts of a student Muhammad Affan Yasin who had passed the matriculation exam at the age of 11. The kid had to quit the school after grade III due to his family’s financial problems and did his matriculation as a private student in August 2006. The success story is still available at official website of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), Islamabad.

Talking anonymously to The News, the chairman of one of the boards of intermediate and secondary education (BISEs), said the requirement of the minimum age in order to appear in matriculation exam was in fact a part of the National Education Policy 1998. Giving the rationale behind the age limit, he said a child should not join the college unless he/she had attained physical and mental maturity.

However, BISE Lahore Secretary Haji Muhammad Dogar said that the age limit was likely to deprive students of their rights.

“Why should we bar a candidate who is below 14 to appear in matriculation exam when he/she has done the preparation,” he said, adding: “If someone has the talent, it should be recognized and appreciated.”

“The BISE, Lahore, is not in favour of the minimum age limit criteria for Matric exam,” he added.

When contacted, IBCC Secretary Muhammad Ramzan Achakzai said keeping in view growing concern of students and their parents the committee would review the decision in its next meeting scheduled for June.