The British Council announced the cancellation of all exams scheduled for May 11 (Thursday) in Pakistan due to the ongoing violent protests that followed the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. The cancellations include all Cambridge International exams, including O-level and A-level, Pearson, University of London, ACCA, and IELTS exams scheduled across Pakistan. The cancellation of papers on May 10 was also announced due to the uncertainty caused by Imran Khan’s arrest.
Khuuram Shah, the accounts relationship manager of the British Council, confirmed that all papers scheduled to be held on Thursday had been cancelled across the country. Arslan Siddiqui, the spokesperson for Cambridge International Assessment, stated that cancelled papers are not retaken as it is standard practice worldwide. He also said that marks for the cancelled papers are given based on the first paper and other student performance.
Uzma Yusuf, Cambridge International’s Country Director for Pakistan, said the exams were cancelled to ensure the safety of students and teachers. The British Council’s announcement came after private schools in Pakistan announced that educational institutions would be closed due to the situation.
Imran Khan’s arrest on the NAB’s warrant on Tuesday triggered protests across Pakistan. PTI supporters were urged to demonstrate and “block all roads, close all shops.” Consequently, protests were held in several cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Mardan.
Demonstrators in Karachi clashed with the police near Nursery, throwing stones and setting fire to police vehicles, tearing down streetlights and damaging a bus. There were reports that police fired teargas shells at protesters. In other cities, including Rawalpindi and Lahore, protesters caused damage to public property.
The British Council’s decision will impact thousands of Pakistani students who were scheduled to take their O-level and A-level exams. The council has not yet announced if the cancelled exams will be rescheduled or how they will determine the students’ grades. It is a difficult time for students, who have already been affected by the pandemic and now face further uncertainty due to the protests.
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In conclusion, the cancellation of all exams by the British Council has brought further disruption to the education sector in Pakistan. With the country already grappling with the pandemic, the cancellation of exams will further add to the students’ difficulties. It remains to be seen how the council will address the situation and ensure the students’ future.
