Sindh education system on the edge as cheating binge on the rise

It’s a million-dollar question how could Pakistan become literate when the cheating system is in full swing during the written exams. It seems that the education system is on the edge in Sindh as widespread cheating is going on openly in examination halls during the ongoing Matriculation examination in the province, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday. 

Today again the Mathematics and Chemistry papers in Science group and Civics paper in General group were leaked during the Matriculation examination being conducted under the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education across Sindh.

Reportedly, in Larkana, the Mathematics question paper was leaked before the exam. The cheating mafia released the paper on social media site, Whatsapp. The mafia posted the solved paper on Whatsapp group in 30 minutes. While, the Civics paper was shared by the cheating mafia on Whatsapp group in just 20 minutes. 

In the Education Board of Shaheed Benazirabad, the Mathematics papers was leaked on Whatsapp. Students sitting in the examination halls were seen solving the question paper with the help of their Whatsapp buddies and instructors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB2CEv2T9j4

The same thing happened in Ghotki where the Mathematics paper was out half an hour before the exam. Though the policemen were deployed outside the examination halls, but both the police and education department seemed to have failed in stopping cheating in exams.

In Kambar area, cheating was so widespread in the examination halls set up in Government Bagu Dero High School that students openly indulged in cheating over there and kept using mobile phones. It’s so outrageous that invigilators were present in the examination halls but students continued copying answers from different sources. 

Under the aegis of Larkana Board, 99,000 students are taking Matriculation exam. In the face of strong cheating mafia, the 17 vigilance teams set up by the Larkana Board to stop cheating in the examination halls looked helpless. 

In Dadu, the examination halls displayed even a more leisure mood. Besides cheating spree in the halls, students were seen taking selfies in the halls. In pictures, it could be seen that invigilators and exam supervisors were sitting in a relaxed mood in the examination halls, never bothering themselves with the students’ cheating practices. 

While copying answers of Math paper from Whatsapp group, the girl students posted their selfies on the social media site. In their selfies, students could be clearly seeing copying their answers from smart phones and guides being opened in front of them. In one selfie, invigilators and teachers were seen sitting on a bench. 

In Sanghar, Mathematics and Chemistry papers were leaked before time. As soon as the papers were leaked, the mafia group was set to work. Here the copy culture is on its peak. The cheating mafia provided photo copies of the solved papers to the students, besides posting solved papers on Whatsapp group. 

In Boys High School, Sanghar, it became difficult for hardworking students to attempt the paper on their own as cheating was so rampant in the examination halls. The school headmaster and external staff were on the forefront to help the student cheat in the exam. 

The students in Sanghar kept busy in cheating while the examination staff appointed at the halls remained inactive. 

In Sukkur also, the cheating spree was going on unabated in the examination halls. Though there were vigilance teams conducting the raids, but there was no letup in the copying binge. 

Yesterday, the Physics paper was leaked in Karachi and was posted on social media. During second shift, the Physics paper was not delivered to the examination halls of the metropolitan city and the exam was delayed for quite some time. Many students reached homes late after 9pm after taking their exam. 

Karachi Board to retake exams

Karachi Chairman Matric Board Syed Sharaf Ali Shah has announced to conduct General Group papers again after widespread cheating and paper leak during the written exams in Sindh. 

Chairman Matric Board said that the decision was taken as papers were not delivered to the examination centres due to ‘mismanagement’ in a few schools.

He said that once the ninth and tenth papers would conclude then a new date for retaking the exams would be announced.

Reporters Haider Khanzada, Khaliq Mughiri, Zafar Ullah Bhutto, Ikhlaq Ahmad and Kamran Korai