Exams of classes 9, 10, 11, 12 will take place, come what may: Shafqat Mehmood

• Several problems arose last year when the government had decided not to conduct exams, says Shafqat Mehmood.
• "But now, we have decided that no grades will be awarded without exams," he says.
• It is "unfortunate" that some called for no exams even now in parliament, he says.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood on Wednesday said exams of classes ninth, matric, first, and second-year would take place across the country after July 10, "come what may".

The minister, speaking on the floor of the National Assembly during the budget session, said several problems arose last year when the government had decided not to conduct exams.

"But now, we have decided that no grades will be awarded without exams," the education minister said. It is "unfortunate" that some called for no exams even now in parliament, he said.

Mehmood said Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and all the other provinces had unanimously decided to conduct examinations.

Mehmood said the government was forced to shut down schools due to the coronavirus, but switched to an alternative method and introduced an online schooling system.

"We have decided to integrate all education institutions via a digital system," he said.

SNC to be implemented across Pakistan 

The Single National Curriculum will be implemented across the country, he said, adding it will be followed in madressahs, along with private, and government schools.

"For the first time, a separate curriculum has been designed for minorities," he said.

Ittehad-e-Tanzeem Madaris has also agreed that their students would also appear in matriculation, FA, and FSC examinations, the education minister said.

Mehmood said the PTI-led government had allocated Rs124 billion for the education sector, which he claimed was "125% more than the previous governments had set aside."