Students demand cancellation of final exams, teachers’ term cancellation a national disaster
By Ahtasham Yousaf
Islamabad: Students and celebrities from across Pakistan took to twitter against the government after reaffirmation of its decision regarding final examinations which are scheduled from June 15 next month.
“Cancel exams, save students” became one of twitter top trends on Tuesday to provoke the government to cancel annual exams.
The students were of the view that online classes were not adequate learning to make preparation for the exams and that gathering in examination centers will further place their health at risk.
It is to be mentioned here that the National Command and Control Center (NCOC) has announced final exams across the country. The exams will be held this year, amid the third wave of covid-19.
The decision was taken in an NCOC meeting in Islamabad with Minister of Planning and Development Asad Umar, in which officials of the health ministry briefed the participants of the meeting about the current covid-19 situation in the country.
“I want to know whether exams are important or students’ health” asks a student Yahya Sardar, emphasizing the government to review its decision regarding final exams’ commencement.
Another student, Waqas Saifi, while addressing Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood wrote in his tweet “Sir please, try to understand; no one tried to teach us properly in 2020/21 due to a lot of vacations”.
Some students also regarded conducting exams as knowingly spreading the covid-19.
“It is clear from the past experiences that if exams take place it would be impossible to follow SOPs for students that may lead to many problems” says Sheikh Kashan Elahi, another student.
Not only students, showbiz stars and artists have also been constantly urging the government to review its policy regarding exams.
Renowned actress Mehwish Hayat had also demanded earlier to cancel exams.
In a tweet, Mehwish says “It is wrong that students are being forced to take exams. Not only has it been dangerous with the third wave taking hold but unfair when education has been so disrupted. I humbly request Shafqat Mehmood to cancel exams this year as other countries have done.”
Singer-cum-actor Ali Zafar tweets as “I am not fully aware of the technicalities, but I would like to request the government to reconsider exams in the current the present covid-19 scenario.
Students are under great stress.”
Some however believe that cancelling exams is not the only solution to combat the education system lacking. “We aren’t producing ‘Aristotle’s through the usual and traditional education system either, so cancelling exams in my view means to surrender before this killer virus”, said International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) Professor Dr Junaid Ghauri.
Dr Ghauri said although there are definite lackings in the online learning mode, efforts have been for improvements. Conducting exams would cause loss, but cancelling them would cause a disaster that wouldn’t be compensated ever,” warned Dr Ghauri.
Since Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood had announced that intermediate examinations across Pakistan would be held after June 15 next month. The rift between students and the government continues over cancelation of exams.
Mehmood, in his statement, had said “I am very hopeful about holding final exams”. Keeping in view the remarks of the minister for education and NCOC’s recent developments, it looks like the government is seriously considering holding exams, which would further widen rift between students and the government.
Meanwhile, the government has also decided to open all educational institutions from May 24 (Monday) this month. The decision was taken in an NCOC meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday.
