LAHORE – Class five examinations under the Punjab Examination Commission (PEC) will kick-off today (Tuesday) in all districts of Punjab amid load shedding and a hectic date sheet. The class five examinations would continue until February 4. Students of class 8 have already started pulling-up their socks as their exams would commence from February 7 to February 12.
According to a PEC official, about 2.5 million students from all districts of Punjab would sit in the exams of class 5 and 8. Class 8 students claimed that the PEC provided computer sciences as an alternate subject for Arabic but the Punjab Textbook Board did not provide book of computer sciences and most of students were forced to opt for Arabic. They said that there were different books available in the market with some having five or seven chapters.
Class 8 student Yasser told Pakistan Today that he prepared for computer sciences for several months but had to shift to Arabic, as he came to know that there is no computer sciences book available in the market. He said that his school teachers also advised him to opt for Arabic in order to be on the safe side.
A PEC official said that all schools had to teach Arabic from class six to eight, but they provided alternate subjects for students and it was responsibility of the Punjab Textbook Board to publish computer sciences textbook. Torturous load shedding has become a headache for students. Parents said that this year’s class five and eight exams would be the biggest in history of the country as 2.5 million children are appearing in it and WAPDA officials should have planned a strategy to assist students.
They said that more than six hour load shedding is hampering preparation of students while gas shortage is also adding to their miseries. Student Usama said that a hectic date sheet is also a big hurdle in their preparation. It is extremely difficult for small children to give two papers daily, he added.
