Private schools to remain shut today

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: As protests over the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan continue, the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation (APPSF) announced Tuesday that all schools would remain closed today (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, sources in the Punjab schools department also confirmed that all the public and private schools across the province would remain closed on Wednesday (today).

APPSF President Kashif Mirza said the decision was made in view of the “emergency conditions” prevailing across the country.

He said an announcement regarding the resumption of regular classes would be made after discussions today (Wednesday).

He appealed to all students, teachers, staff, and parents to be careful during the country’s current situation.

The British Council has cancelled the O and A level examinations that were be conducted on Wednesday (May 10), in view of the emerging situation in Pakistan.

Uzma Yusuf, head of Cambridge Assessment International Education in Pakistan, said on Tuesday that their first priority is the safety and security of students and teachers, and the papers that were to be held in the morning and evening of Wednesday, May 10, will not be held across Pakistan.

She said: “Given the situation in the country, our partners British Council in collaboration with Cambridge Examinations have taken the decision to cancel the exam tomorrow (Wednesday). We will continue to review the situation and will try our best to facilitate the students.”

On Tuesday night, in the wake of the evolving law and order situation following the arrest of Imran Khan, the Higher Education Department (HED) of Punjab announced postponement of the Class 9 annual examination paper scheduled for Wednesday (today).

The paper of Tarjuma-Tul-Quran-ul-Majeed (Compulsory) was scheduled to be held on May 10 across all the nine boards of intermediate & secondary education of the province. The new date for the paper would be announced later. However, papers to be held on May 11 and 12 would be conducted as per schedule.

Talking to The News, Secretary HED Javed Akhter Mahmood also confirmed that all the colleges and universities would also remain closed. He said a new date for the May 10 paper would be announced later, while the rest of the papers would be held as per the schedule already announced.

Sources in the schools department also confirmed that all public and private schools across the province would also stay closed today.

Meanwhile, different private schools associations also announced the closure of private schools across Punjab today.

In Sindh, the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) annual examinations that began all over the province on Monday will proceed according to the notified schedule.

Board of Secondary Education Karachi Chairman Sharaf Ali Shah said that the exams scheduled to be held in the morning and afternoon on May 10 would take place as announced.

However, the managements of leading private schools of Karachi announced that they would keep their educational institutions closed on Wednesday in view of the law and order situation across Pakistan.

In view of the board exams, the Grand Alliance of Private Schools Associations Sindh decided to keep its educational institutions open across the province. The University of Karachi has also announced holding the BCom exams as planned.

However, due to the current situation in the city, all missionary schools under the Catholic Board will remain closed today. These include St. Patrick’s, St. Paul’s, St. Lawrence’s, St. John’s, St. Jude’s, St. Joseph’s Convent and St. Michael’s Convent schools. Similarly, the Beaconhouse and IU School systems, as well as the Army Public schools and colleges across the country, will also remain closed today.

Meanwhile, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education said it had cancelled the Pakistan Studies exam slated to be held in the country and abroad today (Wednesday). It said the new exam date would be announced later.