FDE, FBISE in row over scholarship exams

Another controversy has surfaced between Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) regarding holding of the 8th class scholarship examinations for year 2012.
Previously, the FDE has always been the sole authority to conduct scholarship examination of 8th class. During the last year, however, the FBISE conducted the scholarships examination for students of the FDE-run schools.
Talking to Pakistan Today on Monday, FDE Director General Atif Kayani said that FBISE had no authority to conduct scholarships exams.
“According to the FBISE Act 1975 (as passed by parliament), FBISE cannot not conduct examinations for class eighth… it can only hold matriculation and intermediate examination,” said Atif Kayani.
He said the FBISE would have to go the parliament for any amendments if it wanted to hold the said examination.
He said that for conducting coming scholarships exams, which will take place in March, FDE had moved a summary to Secretary Capital Administration and Development Division (CAAD) to give the mandate back to the FDE.
“All the government schools in the city come under the domain of FDE and it is our mandate to hold scholarship examination,” Kayani added.
In the past as well, conducting the scholarship exams had been an issue between FDE and FBISE. However, it was only in last year that FBISE held those exams for the first time. That was done only after an announcement made by the then education minister Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali.
A notification in that regard was issued by the Federal Ministry of Education on December 22, 2010, in which it was stated: “The examination of class eighth for scholarships only shall henceforth be conducted by the FBISE.”
There are usually around 1,000 students who take the scholarship examinations every year. The examinations are only taken in four subjects — General Science, Mathematics, English and Urdu.
FBISE Secretary Mazoor Ahmed, when contacted, said the FBISE would conduct scholarship exams as it was given the authority by Education Ministry last year.
He said the FBISE had made all necessary arrangements to hold the exams. When asked about the FDE reservations, the secretary said the FBISE only held the exams once it was authorised to do that.
It is pertinent to note here that before its devolution to provinces under 18th Amendment Education Ministry was running the affairs of both the FBISE and the FDE. For now, the FBISE is being run under the Ministry for Professional and Technical Training while the CAAD is looking after the FDE affairs.