The students protesting for the cancellation of the O and A level exams conducted by the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) have started to get support from political figures of Pakistan.
A petition filed by a Karachi-based activist, Jibran Nasir, against the exams is also being heard against the Sindh High Court.
Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan Muslim League’s (PML-N) senior leader, took to Twitter and raised his concerns about the matter. “The students are demanding that O and A Level exams should not be conducted this year. With the peaking of Covid cases, students congregating from so many different schools to give exams isn’t the safe option to do so,” he said, urging the government to review the matter in the light of the “new Covid wave”.
Yesterday, former senior leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement -Pakistan (MQM-P), Farooq Sattar, also went to Sindh High Court (SHC) to express solidarity with the students. Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi also urged the government to close educational institutions and private academies in the wake of soaring coronavirus cases in the province to save children.
Not just the politicians, a number of celebrities have also come out in support of the students. Singer Hadiqa Kiani and actor Asim Azhar also urged the education minister to postpone the exams.
“Please think of our children. We must find an alternative plan that doesn’t put them in danger. Note, I’m an advocate for education, I’ve received my MSc in Psych & I pray my son goes on & achieves a PhD but this is just not the way,” the singer wrote on her Twitter handle.
From the past few weeks, hashtags are actively trending in support of cancellation of O and A level exams, board exams and sometimes in favour of online exams. The students have become more vocal on social media after Shafqat Mahmood’s announcement of no delay or cancellation of examination after meeting provincial education ministers on Sunday.
In January, students across Pakistan protested in favour of online examinations. The protests also turned violent in Lahore and Faisalabad where students were injured. Following that protest, a number of varsities such as the University of Management and Technology and the University of Peshawar reverted their decision and postponed the examinations.
