Full marks saga: K-P’s educational system faces scrutiny

Some students achieved full marks while others scored higher than the total marks in recently concluded Matric exams

The curious case of multiple students getting full marks in matriculation exams, a feat that deserved a place in the record books, is now under scrutiny and is raising alarming questions about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) educational system.

The K-P government has ordered an inquiry into the astronomically high marks which will not affect students but rather examination markers and those who appointed these checkers that is the controller and the chairmen of the concerned educational boards.

Sources familiar with the matter informed The Express Tribune that educational boards were left shell shocked due to the stellar results. “This will always be remembered since scoring 1,100 out of the total 1,100 is historic. No one in the history of the country has ever bagged 100 per cent marks in any matriculation exam,” one former member of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar (BISEP).

The former bureaucrat, requesting anonymity, alleged that while students who took the exams were not aware of the outcome, the board and its employees including those who checked the exams knew this was coming.

“The formula shared by the federal government was that only elective subjects would be examined. Interestingly, it was decided that if someone scored 80 marks in an elective subject they would be granted similar marks in compulsory subjects,” he informed. To illustrate, if a student scores 80 in Biology, according to the formula, the same student was given 80 marks in English too. However, there were also an additional 20 honorary marks granted by the federal government in light of poor attendance due to Covid related restrictions, as per the former BISEP official. “Initially the K-P government had objected to the decision of granting the 20 honorary marks but later agreed to the proposal since it would help students with required marks during medical and engineering tests in future,” he stated, indicating that officials should have seen this historic result coming from a mile away.

A fiery Qaisro Khan, the former provincial deputy director of education, while talking to The Express Tribune, stated, “What kind of formula is this? No one can even object to it since it has come from the cabinet.” Khan was of the view that if the superspreader situation remained the same in the future the government was promoting a culture of students not appearing in classes but still passing.

The problem does not stop there. Inquiry officers revealed that some students scored even higher than the total marks available and the boards had to step in to make reductions using their discretionary powers. “The inquiry team will be checking papers of all those who scored 1050 and above and will then present their findings to the concerned officials,” the BISEP official, confirming the inquiry officers’ revelations, told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2021.