National Assembly Inquiry Committee for Education has taken a strong notice of reported leaks in CAIE (Cambridge Assessment International Education’s A and O -level exams, launched a formal study and raises doubts about the board’s credibility in the country.
The decision follows a detailed session chairman of committee manager Azeem Zahid on Friday morning. Lawmaker Muhammad Ali Sarfaraz, who represented Faisalabad, presented video visions of leaked exam assignments from the May session with reference to student testimony.
“This is undeniable evidence,” Sarfaraz said. “But only a limited number of students obtained by this wrongdoing. If the Cambridge cancels the exams and uses average classification, many others will suffer. They must either resume the papers or lower the threshold.”
The meeting brought out an apparent legislative gap. When asked who is monitoring Cambridge in Pakistan, officials from the Federal Ministry of Education admitted that they do not oversee the British examination body.
Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah, CEO of the Inter Board Committee of Formyen (IBCC), noted that his organization had not officially been involved in Cambridge Oversight and only now learned his responsibility.
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“When last year’s paper was leaked, we continued to ask for updates,” Mallah said. “We were never taken into confidence. We found out a message.”
The committee completed the session by forming a subcommittee to examine the exams. Members include Dr. Aleem, Zeb Jafar, Sarfaraz and Dr. Mallah. The study begins after June 16 at the request of Cambridge’s Pakistan representative Uzma Yousaf.
Yousaf, who attended the meeting, withdrew criticism from legislators after she appeared to divert blame on local Pakistani boards. “Students come to us because of the execution of local boards,” she said.
Committee members reprimanded the comments and emphasized that not all Pakistani boards have been underpinned and that the focus must remain on Cambridge’s own questions.
If necessary, the subcommittee can reach the Cambridge’s international offices for further investigation. The standing committee also expressed concern about the limited mandate of Cambridge staff in Pakistan.
