Jacob Lines Examination Center of Higher Secondary School for Girls in Karachi. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/FILE
KARACHI:
The third day of the annual matriculation exams was also marred by serious management problems, allegations of cheating and poor facilities, while another case was also recorded regarding an exam center alleged “paid cheating”.
Under the aegis of the Karachi Board of Secondary Education, biology exams for classes IX and Section 144 was enforced around exam centers to maintain order.
Despite visits by board chairman Ghulam Hussain to Soho, reports of irregularities continued. At one center in Malir, students were allegedly allowed to cheat collectively using mobile phones, while at Government Boys’ Secondary School in Kala Board, open cheating apparently went unchecked.
Power outages in several centers further compounded the difficulties, forcing students to attempt their assignments in extreme heat. In Lyari, female students were seen sitting on mats due to lack of desks and chairs, with no other arrangements made by the administration. A mother at a Kala Board center said she spends nearly Rs 14,000 per child on tuition fees as well as additional tuition and digital learning fees, but basic facilities at exam centers are still lacking. Students also reported severe discomfort, with one year nine student saying she had to complete her assignment on her knees due to broken furniture, making it difficult to complete the OMR sheet and raising concerns about the risk of tearing.
Meanwhile, in a significant development, Shah Latif city police have filed a case against an exam center responsible for allegations of facilitating cheating in exchange for money.
According to the FIR, registered following the complaint of an official of the Department of Education in Bin Qasim town, the head of a school, identified as teacher Hanif Malik, allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 per document from students and parents to facilitate cheating. The complaint further stated that the allegations surfaced after a video was broadcast on a private television channel. Following the report, board chairman Ghulam Hussain blacklisted the center and ordered its closure.
