Technical exams cancelled, promotion policy approved

LAHORE:A meeting, presided over by Punjab Minister for Industries, Commerce & Investment Mian Aslam Iqbal, has decided to cancel all exams held under the Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE) in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic and approved a policy regarding criteria for promotion to next class.

Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) Chairperson Ali Salman Siddique, PBTE Chairperson Nazir Niazi, Secretary Board and COO Tevta attended the meeting. Addressing the meeting, Mian Aslam Iqbal said decision to cancel all exams under the PBTE was prompted due to Coronavirus situation.

The Diploma of Associate Engineering (DAE), Diploma in Commerce (DCOM), Matric Tech and Vocational students who were eligible for promotion to next class as per policy have been allowed 40 percent concession in the examination fee. Around 130,165 students would benefit from this decision of the government. However, the students of these classes who failed in more than 40 percent subjects would have to appear in special exam with full fee.

The minister said, around 177,524 students were supposed to appear in the 2020 Annual Exams, which had now been cancelled. Out of these, now 130,165 students would not only be promoted but they would also be eligible to 40 percent concession in the examination fee.

LCWU schedule: Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) issued schedule for online examinations on Thursday.

According to details, fourth, sixth and eighth semesters online viva's for thesis, seminars and internships will be scheduled from June 1 to August 31, while viva's of BFA 2nd, 3rd and 4th professional, MPhil and PhD will also be held on the same dates.

The teaching process will be completed from 1st June to 15th July. The final examinations of these semesters will be held from 20th July. Lahore College for Women University has also decided to start online teaching from 1st June. The teaching process of the second semester of BS, MA, MS, PhD will be completed from 1st June to 15th July. The final exams of the 2nd semester of the above-mentioned subjects will commence from August 17.

LCWU Vice-Chancellor Dr Bushra Mirza said the examinations would be conducted as per the guidelines issued by the government. Students who could not appear in midterm or online exam for any reason will be given another chance after the university reopens, she added.

PEC exams staff: Punjab IT Teachers Association has demanded the government ensure provision of remuneration to schoolteachers who performed duties in PEC exams 2020.

In a press release, Punjab IT Teachers Association leaders Aqeel Azad, Abdul Sattar Bazdar, Adeel Abbas, Faisal Ghafoor, Sajjad Hussain, Abdullah Shafiq, Atif Satti, Muhammad Jalil, Malik Amanullah and Muhammad Imran said that the eighth grade staff on duty at the examination centres had not yet been paid. Even after almost two months, the supervisors, superintendents, resident inspectors, mobile inspectors, employees of class IV and marking staff who were on duty in the eighth PEC examination could not be paid.

The IT teacher leaders said in the PEC examinations, IT teachers were responsible for collecting the admission forms of the students, feeding all the data, issuing roll number slips, setting up examination centres, feeding the data of marking papers. However, no compensation had been paid to them so far. They demanded School Education Minister Murad Raas and Education Schools secretary immediately ensure provision of PEC exams remuneration to the teachers.