Sindh government changes examination policies due to Covid-19 Pandemic

Karachi: After the reopening of schools and other educational institutions, the Sindh government announced that it has changed the methods and duration of annual examinations in schools and colleges considering the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.

A meeting of the provincial committee was led by Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani during which policies regarding the reopening of schools and examinations in educational institutions were discussed in detail. Talking to the media Education Minister Saeed Ghani said, “Exam duration would be two hours instead of three”. “The weightage of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) would be 50 per cent, long (subjective) questions would be 30 per cent and short questions would have a weightage of 20 per cent.”

He also said that the examination procedure has been changed for the convenience of the students keeping the ongoing covid-19 pandemic in mind.

Saeed Ghani also said that assessments for primary classes, up to grade eight, would start from June 7 though exams of grade nine a ten would be held between July 1 to July 15. He added that examinations for grades 11 to 12 would begin from July 28. While the practical examinations will be held by the respective colleges in June and the results will be announced before October 15.

While talking to the media Saeed Ghani also said, “All boards of education will prepare examination results in 90 days.”

The provincial education minister kept up strict SOPs would be followed during assessments and repeated that students would not be elevated to the next class without giving exams this year.

He further said that at least 13,750 Covid-19 tests had been done of government universities staff, out of which 200 individuals had been accounted for to be influenced by the Coronavirus infection. And in Karachi, two colleges were sealed due to Coronavirus.

However schools, colleges, and universities should perform all precautionary measures, i.e. students are only allowed to enter campuses after their body temperature has been checked and disinfectant is sprayed all over their body, school bags, and other items. The use of facemasks and hand sanitizers were likewise guaranteed while social distancing measures are carefully implemented.