Tag: education system

  • Cambridge grading system under fire after outrage from Pakistani students

    Cambridge grading system under fire after outrage from Pakistani students

    Pakistani students have slammed Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) after results for 2023 examinations came to light.

    Cambridge exams were disrupted in Pakistan due to riots on May 9 and 12. However, instead of rescheduling the affected papers, Cambridge allegedly opted to allocate average marks.
    The announcement of the results, on August 10, has stirred frustration among students across Pakistan, as only a small number managed to attain A and B grades. More than 45,000 students appeared in the exams.

    In response, students expressed their intent to stage peaceful protests in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore, to highlight what they perceive as an injustice done by Cambridge.

    Outraged students have turned to social media, urging a rescheduling of the exams to provide them with a fair opportunity to showcase their capabilities and receive grades reflective of their performance.

    Students took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to run an online campaign and raise their concerns regarding the issue.

    X user, Muhammad Awais Sial mentioned that Cambridge graded them on components where scoring marks are inevitable.
    https://twitter.com/MASial34789939/status/1690045360998322176?s=20

    https://twitter.com/MASial34789939/status/1690045360998322176?s=20

    Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League (N), Maryam Nawaz, also expressed concerns, stating that numerous students have reached out to her. She urged the CIE to consider the conditions in which students sat during these exams while reviewing the results on fairgrounds.

    Chief organiser of President Punjab PML(N), Mohammad Sarwar mentioned that he has been contacted by students who are disheartened after receiving E grades. The former chief minister of Punjab stated that he has reached out to a member of the House of Lords, Wajid Khan, for support in urging CIE to review their grading process.

    Activist and lawyer Jibran Nasir explained the issue in detail while demanding that “Cambridge Assessment International Education and British Council Pakistan needs to provide details and transparency in the mechanism adopted this year and it must ensure that students of Pakistan did not suffer in particular due to some discriminatory or flawed policy.”

    Addressing the concerned Cambridge students, Uzma Yousuf, the Country Director for CAIE Pakistan, stated, “Cancelling the exams on 10, 11 and 12 May has been a difficult decision for the British Council. Your safety and well-being come first, and that’s why this decision was taken.”

    She further added, “Our team is continuously monitoring the situation, and we will keep you updated as we have more information. We are completely committed to providing a safe and secure environment for you to sit for your exams.”

  • Students accuse Shafqat Mahmood of ‘destroying careers’, demand resignation

    After Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood announced on Tuesday that no examinations will take place in the country until June 15 and that O’ and A’ Level exams will now take place in the October-November cycle, students are now demanding Teacher and School Assessed Grades with the hashtags #ShafqatDestroysOurCareer and #ResignShafqatMahmood trending on social media.

    Students are arguing that their study schedules have been disrupted because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and are demanding Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) and School Assessed Grades (SAGs). On the other hand, some are even proposing other ways of promoting the students without exams.

    https://twitter.com/dauddogar/status/1387313554647363585

    https://twitter.com/ahmedhaseeb48/status/1387315787459928065

    https://twitter.com/RajaAliuzZaman2/status/1387304518354935808?s=20

    Pakistan is currently experiencing a deadly third wave of COVID-19 with fears of an India-like situation. According to the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), 5292 cases and 201 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

  • Prime Minister Imran Khan breaks silence on Aurat March

    Days after it was held, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has broken silence on Aurat March 2020, saying that a “culture clash” was developing in the country due to different education systems and it was most visible in the mixed reactions drawn by women marching on International Women’s Day to demand basic rights.

    “We will, hopefully by next year, introduce a core syllabus for all schools that will be mandatory for students apart from the additional subjects each institution chooses to teach,” the premier said in a speech marking the groundbreaking ceremony of housing projects for low-income people.

    “This is how you create a nation. This is how you end rival cultures from developing,” he said. “The Aurat March that just happened… a different culture was visible in it… this is a cultural issue and this comes from the schooling system,” he added.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/mmnewsdottv/status/1237783284723179522

    PM Imran said that by adopting a uniform education system, Pakistan could bring an end to the societal divide that is perpetuated by different educational standards.

    In various cities across Pakistan, the Aurat March was held on Sunday to mark International Women’s Day. The marches were attended by women, children, men, transgender people and others.

    The first Aurat March was held in 2018 in Karachi. Last year, it was extended to more cities, including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Larkana and Hyderabad. The Aurat March, as it has come to be known since its first iteration, was organised by Hum Aurtain — a feminist collective.

    It has a manifesto demanding basic rights for women in each field of life.

    Many people object to placards and demands of women marchers, saying that they are “un-Islamic” and “unconstitutional”.