Govt allows British Council to hold ‘special O Level exams’ from July 26

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said that the government has allowed the British Council to hold special O Level exams from July 26 to August 6.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, he said that this will facilitate O Level students to start A-Level or FA/Fsc from September.

"This kind of exam in July is unprecedented and I am happy that Cambridge is arranging it," he further wrote.

A notification, attached along with the tweet, stated that Covid-19 standard operation procedures (SOPs), similar to those followed during the examinations of A-Level, would have to be adhered to.

In another tweet, the education minister said that the Covid-19 pandemic has created immense difficulties in all walks of life but especially in education.

"We have been taking difficult decisions to ensure that education/ learning continues. Every decision has pros and cons but for us, the interest/welfare of students is always paramount," he added.

The Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), in a statement later, confirmed that it will offer some replacement O Level and IGCSE exams to both school and private students in Pakistan at the end of July.

"The decision to run replacement exams for a number of key subjects follows conversations with schools and means students in year 11 will be able to complete their studies in these subjects before they start the next school year," it added.

The CAIE said that the safety of students and staff continues to be highest priority. "These exams will take place in venues where compliance with current health and safety standard operating procedures (SOPs) is possible."

It clarified that the students can still take exams instead in the October/November 2021 series if they prefer, for the same fee as the June 2021 series.

The statement said that the students will only take one question paper per subject and that one question paper will be a multiple-choice paper where it exists for the syllabus. "Multiple choice covers many aspects of the syllabus, and typically lasts 60 minutes."

In order to give students as much time as possible to prepare for the exams, it added. “The Cambridge International is planning for the exams to take place in the last week of July and the first week of August.”

Country Director Cambridge International Pakistan Uzma Yousuf said, “I am very pleased that we have been able to offer these replacement Cambridge O Level and IGCSE exams to Cambridge schools and students in Pakistan.

With enrolments surpassing over 50,000 O and A Level students across various educational institutions, Pakistan remains one of the highest revenue-making countries for CAIE— the largest international examination service in the country.