The government decided on Monday to pass all the students of matric and intermediate. The decision comes as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues, with the number of active cases rising above 90,000.
The inter-provincial government education ministers meeting chaired by Federal Minister Shafqat Mahmood made the decision to pass both Matric and Intermediate students. The pandemic has made retaking exams of the failing students impossible in the near future, it noted.
Students took their final exams between May and July. “The meeting decided that due to the Coronavirus situation, immediate re-examinations will not be possible,” said an announcement. “And the students who failed would be given a discounted 33 marks.”
In addition, the meeting decided to conduct Matric and Intermediate exams twice a year. Also, the second examinations would not be regarded as supplementary examinations. The next Matric exams are scheduled to take place in May-June, sources add. Moreover, the new academic year will begin in August.
The education minister added that O and A level exams will take place according to schedule, while universities will set their own exam schedules.
The announcement comes after vaccines against Coronavirus began for 15-year-olds on Monday. “Teens below the age of 18 will have to produce their B-form for registration,” Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr. Nausheen Hamid said.
Dr. Hamid stated in an interview that National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which supervises the government’s anti-Covid strategy, approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 15 and 18.
Regarding the current pandemic situation, Dr. Hamid said that the national positivity ratio of the infection was still high. However, medical experts said the number of cases would drop significantly once herd immunity establishes.
A look at the current COVID-19 situation
The NCOC reported in its daily update that the number of active COVID-19 cases had fallen to 90,545 on Monday. During the past 24 hours, a total of 2,988 new people have tested positive for the deadly virus, while 3,391 people have recovered completely. The national positivity ratio reported 5.62%.
During the single-day tally of COVID-19 cases, it was the first time since July 23 the number fell below 3,000. Among the active cases, the NCOC stated 5,425 reportedly admitted to various COVID-dedicated health facilities across the country. 5,066 of whom were in critical condition.
Additionally, the forum reported that 67 patients, 62 of whom were hospitalized and 24 on ventilators, died during the past 24 hours. This brought the total of deaths caused by this disease to 26,787. There were 26 deaths in Sindh, followed by 20 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
It may be recalled that Sindh has made it mandatory for all students in grade 11 and onwards to get vaccinated against the COVID-19. If unvaccinated, they will be denied entry and admissions into college throughout Karachi.
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Story Courtesy: Express Tribune
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