Political pressure impeding check on cheating in exams

Karachi, Political compulsions not only stymie improvement to the affairs of the education department, but also impede efforts to eliminate the use of unfair means during examinations, said Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq on Thursday during the Sindh Assembly session. Responding to a point of order raised by Fayaz Butt regarding the growing tendency of ‘copy culture’ during Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations, the education minister said that, when he takes strict action, he faces political pressure; when he does not take action, he faces criticism. In both cases, the minister said, he felt he was in trouble himself. Referring to his recent visit to Dadu, Haq said that he issued instructions to both the DCO concerned and the education secretary to control unfair means in the SSC examination. He recalled that, last year, he personally caught students in Badin trying to cheat. In order to curb such practices, the minister said, the Sukkur education board has started issuing admit cards with candidates’ pictures printed on them. Appreciating this effort, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, who is the controlling authority of boards, has instructed other boards to follow this practice, he said. In response to a point of order raised by Shama Mithani, the education minister said that that the governor had taken notice of non-issuance of admit cards to students of matriculation in Karachi, and ordered an inquiry. He said that the administration of two private schools should be blamed for the fiasco, as they did not submit their students’ examination fees on time. Absolving the students of any blame, he said that it was almost impossible for admit cards to be issued a day before the exams, given that their forms were submitted a day earlier. Haq said that another such incident was reported from Sobho Dero, where a teacher accepted examination fees from 35 students, but did not forward them to the authority concerned. The teacher had initially cited the excuse of being ill, but it later transpired that the teacher had usurped the money. The teacher was subsequently placed under suspension, and the aggrieved students were allowed to appear in the exam, he said. Replying to a point of order raised by joint opposition leader, Jam Madad, the education minister said that the lower staff in Matiari district could not receive their salaries because the concerned DCO spent huge sums in a certain sector, allegedly to collect some commission, and an inquiry in this case was under way.