Public schools lag as private admissions close early; 8th grade exams cause concern
RAWALPINDI:
All public and private schools across Rawalpindi Division have reopened after an extended 21-day break, restoring activity to previously suppressed educational institutions.
On Wednesday, public schools released the pending annual exam results for classes from early years (pre-school) to class 7. All students were declared successful and promoted to the next classes.
Enrollment in public schools has also begun, albeit with a delay of one month this year, raising concerns that enrollment targets may not be met.
In contrast, private schools began their admission process in February and have largely completed new enrolments, while public institutions are expected to register a significantly lower intake.
Passing students have been instructed to return textbooks from their previous classes. The authorities have ordered that all students hand in these books today (Thursday), after which they will be given materials for the new academic year.
Due to the prevailing financial constraints, recycled textbooks will be redistributed among the students.
The announcement of the results saw students arrive at schools with their parents, many dressed for the occasion. While some institutions awarded first, second, and third place prizes, most limited procedures to a blanket declaration of “all passed” and promoted students without formal ceremony, reflecting the incomplete nature of the exams.
However, this year, the Class 8 board exams were conducted, though their results remain pending and are expected between April 8 and 10.
Only four subjects – Urdu, English, Mathematics and Science – were examined by the board, with the remaining papers conducted in a limited capacity by individual schools.
The grading for the board exams is reportedly rigorous, and a high failure rate is expected.
According to sources within the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority (PECTA), a significant number of candidates are likely to fail.
Teachers’ organizations have warned that overly strict marking could lead to increased drop-out rates, particularly among middle-class students. They warned that 60 to 70 percent of girls who fail at this level may drop out of school.
Rana Liaquat, central general secretary of the Punjab Teachers Union, criticized the re-introduction of the Class 8 board examination, describing it as a flawed policy that had previously been abandoned after failing on two occasions.
He noted that the current system only applies to public school students, with the private sector excluded, effectively making government institutions a testing ground. Negative consequences, he said, are already emerging. He further highlighted that out of 38,000 public schools in Punjab, approximately 125,000 teaching posts remain vacant, without any regular recruitment since 2018. About 14,000 schools have already been privatized, of which another 4,500 are reportedly in the process of being transferred to the private sector.
