Sindh teachers association decides to boycott annual examination process

Karachi: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) on Thursday announced a boycott of the exams process in a response to the report of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) report, released on Wednesday, on the cheating scandal.

Counter Terrorism Department on the instructions of the Chief Minister of Sindh was inspecting the matter of cheating via Whatsapp groups in BIEK annual exams 2017.

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One week earlier, the officials of Counter Terrorism department collected the examination documents as well as questioned the officials during a visit to the board office.

The first report submitted by the investigation officer, Naveed Ahmed Khawaja, highlighted that 13 copy-collecting-officers (CCO) were involved in misuses, including the facilitation of cheating and also leaking annual exams papers.

According to the investigation report, the 13 officials who were found involved in the scandal were recommended for the posts of CCO and centre superintendents by President of Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association, Ferozudin Siddiqui.

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As a reply to the report, SPLA organized a press conference on Thursday to make clear their position as well as they announced a boycott of the complete examination procedure, which includes invigilation, checking of papers as well as conducting annual practical exams.

“We were called in by the board to assist them in the exams procedure and now they have blamed us for their blunders,” said Siddiqui, adding that the examination board chooses the CCOs as well as the vigilance teams on its own and the teachers are not involved in any procedure except performing duties during annual exams.

“None of the teachers named in the report were cross-examined,” said the president of SPLA.

He moreover said that the decision of boycotting the annual exams procedure is an accord decision made by the Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur chapters of SPLA.

Siddiqui also added that the examination board was itself involved in the cheating scandal and leaking of papers.

“The current Controller of Examination Muhmmad Jafar is the one who should be accountable for the mismanagement, not the teachers,” said Siddiqui.

The SPLA will not negotiate for resuming duties in the ongoing annual exams till the blame on the teachers is denied and the real criminals are identified.

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At the same time, the chairperson of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Karachi (BIEK) Prof Inam Ahmed told the media sources that the complete procedure will be disturbed as a result boycott and the results might be delayed as well.

He said neither he had received the investigation report, nor did he have any idea regarding all this game.

“We will try to have a negotiation (along with the protesting teachers) just if we find (they) are innocent,” he added.