Matriculation mark sheets yet to be issued to students

Thousands of matriculation students in Karachi are facing an uncertain future due to the delay in the issuing of their mark sheets. The result of the general group had been announced on August 25 and that of the science group on September 28.

However, more or less 37,000 students of the general group and 190,000 students of the science group are yet to receive their mark sheets since their results were announced.

The delay has been attributed to a number of factors, including alleged changes being made in the results of some students of the science group, administrative instability within the matric board and the reluctance of Sindh’s caretaker government to replace key officials of the previous government.

An official associated with the examination branch of the matric board disclosed on the condition of anonymity that they are currently investigating the claims of changes being made in the results of some students.

However, the circumstances seem more dubious after the Sindh Universities & Boards Department removed the acting controller of examinations even before the completion of a thorough investigation and replaced him with a new acting controller.

This appointment of a new acting controller of examinations and the delay in the printing of mark sheets has further exacerbated the situation due to the delayed investigation against the predecessor of the incumbent controller by the universities & boards department.

Over the past year the matric board has witnessed a revolving door of acting controllers of examinations and three different secretaries, contributing to the administrative upheaval. Despite the passage of more than two months since the interim administration has taken over in the province, the policies and personnel of the previous government continue.

The acting dual-charge officers, and deputed chairman, controller of examinations, secretaries and audit officers — all appointed by the previous government — are seemingly reluctant to be replaced, despite the clear directives of the Sindh High Court.

This persistence of the caretaker set-up to maintain the previous government’s policies has had detrimental consequences for all the eight educational boards in the province. It is worth noting that Rasheed Channa has been continuing as the chief minister’s spokesman since the then CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah, and even the interim government is uninterested in replacing him.

Similarly, the former education minister’s personal secretary Haleem Soomro (officer on deputation) remains in the education department instead of returning to his actual place of posting, working closely with caretaker education minister Rana Hussain to uphold the previous government’s educational policies.

The continued delay in the issuance of mark sheets and the administrative upheaval within the education system are causing widespread distress among Karachi’s matriculation students.