PESHAWAR: Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah has said that reforms will be introduced in the province’s examination system to further strengthen transparency, making the improvement of the education system a key priority for the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He made these remarks while presiding over a review meeting on the preparations for the upcoming Matriculation examinations.The meeting, which was held online, was attended by the chairmen of all the educational boards in the province, divisional commissioners, and the secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education, said an official communique.
During the meeting, the chief secretary was briefed by officials from the Education Department about the preparations for the Matric examinations.The meeting was informed that the annual Matric examinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would begin on March 31. Several reforms are being introduced this year to make the examination system more transparent and efficient.
According to the briefing, three papers in each educational board would undergo e-marking, while six papers in the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar would also be e-marked.
Additionally, examinations will be conducted across the province under a cluster-based system, with the system being fully prepared for implementation.
The meeting also confirmed that all examination halls would be equipped with essential facilities, including water, CCTV cameras, electricity, and other necessary provisions. This year, new graduates are being included in the examination staff, and their training is currently underway.
Strict measures have been taken to prevent cheating, and only staff with honest, excellent, and transparent performance would be assigned responsibilities. Section 144 would be enforced around the examination centres and effective steps have been taken to curb cheating materials.
The meeting was further informed that the examination staff would be rotated every two to three papers to ensure transparency in the examination process.Additionally, all answer sheets would be standardised for e-marking across all boards. Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah directed the relevant authorities to ensure transparency, discipline and the provision of better facilities to students during the examination process.
