Exams of only elective subjects and math for ninth, matric: Shafqat Mehmmod

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood said Wednesday students of matric and ninth across the country would be assessed on the basis of elective subjects and math this year.

The minister, explaining the decision during a press conference in Islamabad, said only four exams, including math for ninth and matric, will be conducted. These include biology, computer science, physics, and chemistry.

No student would be awarded grades without attempting examinations this year, the education minister stressed, adding: "If we do not conduct the exams, then students will not even employ minimum efforts to study."

Mehmood's press conference came after he chaired a meeting of the provincial education ministers and officials from the education departments, according to the education ministry.

Highlights:

• Matric, ninth to only attempt exams of elective subjects, math.
• Computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, and math for classes 9, 10. 
• Classes 11 and 12 will be assessed on only elective subjects.
• Exams for classes 10 and 12 to start after July 10.
• Exams for classes 9 and 11 to start after completion of classes 10 and 12 exams.

Classes 11 and 12 will be assessed on only elective subjects, said Mehmood. "This decision will make the examination process easier for students."

The minister said the exams of elective subjects will be conducted as students aspiring to opt for a selected field could be assessed on the basis of their elective subjects.

Exams from July 10

The education minister said boards were preparing to conduct exams from June 24, and now, to facilitate students, we have asked them to begin examinations after July 10.

"We have also asked boards to keep some gap between the exams," he said, as he explained the government had taken several steps to ease the process on the students as the educational institutions could not complete the course work.

The education minister said exams of classes 10 and 12 would be conducted first — from July 10 — and the examinations of classes 9 and 11 will be conducted once they end.

Results in third week of September

The minister said the government wants all the results to be issued by the third week of September so that timely issuance of results will help the students secure admissions in universities.

The education minister noted the government had decided to shut down schools as it had become necessary due to the coronavirus situation. "We then reduced the syllabus by 40%." 

The minister said educational institutions were allowed to conduct the classes of 10 and 12, and now, the classes of 9 and 11 will also be conducted.

Vaccine must for teachers

Mehmood said no teacher invigilating the exams can perform their duties without getting the coronavirus vaccine, and that is why the government has begun their inoculation on a priority basis.

"We have assured the provinces in this regard and asked them to seek assistance if they face any setbacks," he said.

The minister noted that if the people affiliated with the education sector were vaccinated, it would be easier for the government to reopen them.

The universities have been asked to consider A-Level students, who will be attempting their exams in October and November, for provisional admissions. 

The minister said authorities would be urged to allow students, who were about to give exams in the near future, to attempt the entry tests for engineering, MDCAT, and other medical exams.

'These decisions are final'

"These decisions are final ... and exams will be conducted no matter what happens. We have taken into consideration students' concerns and given relaxations," he added.

The education minister said the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) played an active role during the pandemic — may it be closing or opening of schools and conducting exams.

The minister, after he concluded the press conference, took to Twitter and announced that the IPEMC had taken some important decisions regarding educational institutions today. 

"For 9/10, exam in elective subjects plus math. For 11/12 only elective subjects. Exams pushed to after July 10 with 10 and 12-grade exams on priority. These decisions are final. No change," he stressed.

Responding to a query on Twitter, the education minister said all the universities would be allowed to reopen from Monday.

In another tweet, Mehmood said, "the marks percentage taken by students in elective subjects will also be proportionately allocated to subjects in which exams are not being taken."