Exam season fiasco: papers leaked, students cheating in Sindh classrooms

The Matric Board’s examination season is upon us, bringing a new wave of unusual activities, including cheating, happening in the classrooms.

The English exam in Ghotki – conducted by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Sukkur Board – was delayed on Wednesday due to teachers protesting against the detention of two female students detained from an examination centre in Sarhad area a day earlier.

Protesting teachers also complained about the insulting attitude of the administration, adding that each administrator was accompanied by five policemen.

On the other hand, the Urdu exam paper for grade 12 was leaked from the examination room in Kandhkot’s Tangwani Government Boys High School. However, the Urdu exam in Hyderabad is underway. 

Students were observed cheating openly during examinations at two government high schools in Sukkur. No proper preparations to control cheating were seen in the exam rooms.

Chairman of Sukkur Board has formed a team to monitor such activities in examination rooms. However, the team, which has been assigned four districts over a radius of 350-400 kilometres, is inadequate for the job.

Chairman of the Sukkur Board has formed a team to monitor such activities in examination rooms. However, the team with limited resources has been tasked to monitor schools over an area of 350-400 kilometres which is beyond their means. 

Jam Mehtab Dahar, the Minister of Education, Sindh, told Geo News, he had directed the Board Chairman and Deputy Commissioner to resolve the matter immediately, adding that it is currently under discussion. Dahar stated that he has sent the VC to assist in resolving the matter.“We don’t want the students’ year-long education to go to waste just because of a protest causing exams to be delayed,” Dahr said.

“We don’t want the students’ year-long education to go to waste just because of a protest causing exams to be delayed,” Dahr said.

In addition, talks with the protesting teachers are underway as well. However, until the issue with the aggrieved teachers is resolved, fresh dates for the already postponed examinations cannot be revealed. 

A report on recent developments on this issue is due by Wednesday evening. Dahr went on to say that the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) has been transferred and an apology has been issued to the concerned parents.

Chief Minister Sindh has indicated that standardised education should be provided to the students, Dahr added. Nevertheless, he also mentioned that everyone – from the Board and teachers to parents – are part of the reason such events take place.