Shafqat Mehmood says O Level, IGCSE exams to start from May 10 instead of 15

• Shafqat Mehmood says he had "received a letter from Christine Ozden, CEO Cambridge" requesting govt to hold O level and IGCSE exams from May 10.
• Minister says change of date was agreed after consultation with provinces and stakeholders.
• CIE had earlier announced that O level exams will take place from May 15, while A level exams will be held as “timetabled”.

Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood announced on Monday that the O Level and IGCSE exams will be allowed to start from May 10 instead of 15 at the request of Cambridge International Examination (CIE).

Mehmood shared on Twitter that he had "received a letter from Christine Ozden, CEO Cambridge", asking the government to bring forward the O level and IGCSE exams. He also shared a screenshot of the letter.

"After consultation with provinces/stakeholders we have agreed. Now O level/IGCSE will start from May 10," announced the minister.

Read more: Cambridge issues new timetable for O level exams in Pakistan

In the letter, Ozden had lauded the government for "enabling students in Pakistan to make progress with their education".

The CEO of Cambridge Assessment International Education shared that they had deliberated on the May 15 date given by the government for the start of the O Level and IGCSE exam.

"We would like to ask you now to consider whether we are able to start Cambridge O Level and IGCSE from the 10th of May," requested the UK board.

Ozden said that if Cambridge is allowed to do that then it will "enable many more students to progress". She added that the change of date will provide an equivalence in the education system that will be fairer as the students will have a "better chance to demonstrate what they have learnt".

Read more: Cambridge agrees to reschedule O level exams in Pakistan, says Shafqat Mehmood

"We would welcome your consideration of this request at your earliest convenience," the letter concluded.

CIE exams to be held from May 15

Last week, CIE announced that the O level exams will take place from May 15, while A level exams will be held as “timetabled”.

“Cambridge International AS and A Levels to go ahead as timetabled, O Levels and IGCSEs to take place from May 15,” said the UK board in a statement.

Earlier these exams were scheduled to commence on April 26, 2020. However, AS and A-Levels exams would go ahead as per the already announced timetable commencing in late April.

Read more: Cambridge exams to be held as per schedule, says Shafqat Mehmood

An estimated number of 50,000 candidates would appear in O Level/IGCSE and about 40,000 in AS/A Level exams from across Pakistan.

The decision was taken after the minister held a meeting with the board and had announced that CIE has agreed to reschedule ‘O’ level exams to after May 15.

The minister said that the decision was taken after a detailed discussion with relevant bodies, adding that related details will be shared by Cambridge later.

Earlier this month, the minister had announced that all Cambridge exams — as well as those for Intermediate and Matriculation students — will be held as per schedule this year.

He said that exams for grades 10, 11 and 12 will be held this year in May and June.

Read more: Cambridge International announces exam policy for 2021

"Our children are giving [inter and matric] exams under the Pakistani boards, hence the same [rule] will also apply for children giving exams for other boards," he said, referring to O level and A level students.

However, following a meeting of the health and education ministers at the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on March 24, in which it was decided that schools in coronavirus hotspot areas will be closed till April 11, exams came under discussion once more.

Mehmood had said, following the meeting, that he will discuss with Cambridge whether exams scheduled in the May/June session can be postponed.