A-level students on Tuesday held a protest in front of the Karachi Press Club to demand improvement in their grades. Their parents also participated in the demonstration.
The protesting students expressed a lack of confidence in their results, saying that their results were not good, and that their exams had been skipped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They said their grades were awarded based on median scores, adding that they rejected this formula.
They also said the fee for rechecking a single component of a paper is Rs23,000 and for the complete reevaluation of a paper it is Rs43,000. Students with A* and A grades were given C and D grades, they complained.
They demanded that the British Council reconsider the grading system, pointing out that the future of thousands of students was at stake, so their results must be rectified.
Meanwhile, Cambridge International released Cambridge IGCSE and O-level results to over 60,000 students in Pakistan, saying that with these qualifications, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need for the next steps on their educational journey.
“Cambridge International, a not-for-profit organisation, part of the world-renowned University of Cambridge, and the world’s largest provider of international education programmes and qualifications for three- to 19-year-olds, released results from its June 2023 exam series to over half a million students worldwide over the past week,” reads their press release.
“This year saw Cambridge International’s largest exam series to date, with 1.7 million entries for Cambridge exams across 5,600 schools in 147 countries for all qualifications combined, an increase of 11 per cent on June 2022.
“Students in Pakistan have faced disruption to their learning due to the pandemic and more recently due to cancelled examinations. Despite the challenges, they have been able to gain the qualifications they need to progress with their education.
“Their achievements today show their hard work and commitment, and the strong support of their teachers and families. In total, more than 210,000 entries were made for Cambridge IGCSE and O-level in the June 2023 series in Pakistan, a rise of four per cent since June 2022.”
The most popular subjects were Islamiyat, English Language and Pakistan Studies. On the June 2023 exam series, Rod Smith, group managing director, International Education at Cambridge, congratulated Cambridge students for their hard work in achieving these results.
“They have shown great resilience over the past few years and have kept on moving forward with their education. With these qualifications our students can feel confident that they have developed the skills they need for the future, so they can embrace whatever opportunities lie ahead.
“I also want to thank Cambridge schools and teachers, who once again have displayed tremendous commitment and passion for education that has been core to their students’ success.”
Uzma Yousuf, country director, Pakistan, Cambridge International, said: “Congratulations to the numerous bright stars of Cambridge International in Pakistan who are celebrating their well-earned results today. I am fully aware that both these remarkable students and their families have navigated through uncertainty with unwavering determination.
“It fills me with immense joy to witness the resilience of so many of these students, who have triumphed over the challenges they’ve encountered and continued to pursue their education with untiring spirit.
“I would also like to congratulate the dedicated teachers who have shown unwavering commitment in guiding students towards their academic achievements and propelling them forward on their educational journey.
“I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to each one of them for their truly exceptional contributions. Like other exam boards, Cambridge International has been moving the standard of Cambridge qualifications back to the pre-pandemic standard of 2019 in gradual steps.
“This year’s standard has returned to the standard of 2019, and the impact of the pandemic has been taken into account when setting the grade boundaries. This means a student who would have achieved a grade A before the pandemic will be just as likely to get a grade A in 2023.”
More than 750 schools across Pakistan offer Cambridge programmes and qualifications to their students. The Cambridge Pathway curriculum offers flexibility and choice to students and schools, with over 70 subjects available at Cambridge IGCSE, over 40 subjects at Cambridge O-level, and over 55 subjects at Cambridge International AS- and A-level.