Ghulam Mursalin Marwat
LAKKI MARWAT: The education department has introduced a new examination system to conduct evaluation of primary school students before the end of current academic session in subdivision Paharpur.
It was revealed by Sub-Divisional Education Officer Humayun Khattak during inspection visits to government run primary schools on Monday. He went to state run primary schools in Hajaniwala, Kotjai, Dhalki, Meranjai, Athok Shemali, Wanda Dhor, Khanokhel, Athok Janobi, Wanda Sheru, Khatrian, Lohani, Khotikhel, Wanda Ghandair, Wanda Lali, Wanda Karim, Kalu Kalandar, Panyala and Kot Rasool localities of Paharpur subdivision to check attendance of teachers and class four servants.
On the occasion, Humayun said that ESED managers were committed to implement provincial government’s vision to promote education and ensure attendance of teaching staff in public sector schools. He said that traditional oral examination system in primary schools had been replaced with written test to evaluate and judge different skills of students. “Under new system a four page evaluation book will be used to conduct evaluation of students, judge performance of teachers and to know about available facilities in primary schools”, he maintained.
He added that the department had already formed separate committees to conduct examination and marking of papers on new pattern with an additional task of ranking schools and position holder students on the basis of results. “The top three students at circle and tehsil level will be rewarded with shields and cash rewards”, he revealed. During visits, the sub divisional education officer checked attendance of teaching and non teaching staffers and found seven teachers and three class four employees absent from duty. He issued absent notices to missing employees directing them to explain their position and face department action in case of unsatisfactory replies.
He also conducted evaluation of students in mathematics, Urdu, social studies, Islamyat and English subjects and directed teachers to focus on improving writing, reading and calligraphy skills of students. He also directed teachers to improve skills of students in multiplication tables and enhance their general and Islamic knowledge.
Meanwhile, members of teaching community have expressed concern over ranking of Lakki Marwat district on 23rd position in educational performance across the province, saying that the entire community was deeply anxious about the poor ranking of district despite their firm commitment to teaching profession, imparting quality education to students and improving education standard.
The concern was shown at a meeting held at Government Higher Secondary School No. 3, Michenkhel in Lakki city the other day. A representative of school officers association (SOA) Muhammad Umar presided over the meeting. Among others Sifatullah Khan and Wajeehullah of SOA, Nawaz Khan, Faizullah Khan and Saifur Rehman of headmasters union, Taj Muhammad and Shafiullah of subject specialists association, Maulana Tameezuddin of Mutahidda Mahaz Asateza, Abdul Waheed and Abdul Wakil of secondary schoolteachers association and Arshad Hayat of primary teachers association were in attendance.
The participants expressed astonishment over ranking of district on 23rd position and said that the public sectors schools of the district always shined and excelled in academic and co curriculum activities. “In last year secondary school certificate examination, 19 students of Lakki Marwat district out of 22 got scholarships under provincial government Stori Da Pakhtunkhwa programme in Bannu educational board”, said a teachers’ leader, adding that 23 students of the district out of 40 were declared eligible for the said scholarship in last year higher secondary school certificate examination.
Another participant said that over 100 hundred students of government run schools of the district qualified written test held under educational testing and evaluation agency (ETEA) for award of scholarships and admission in centres of excellence. “Over fifty students secured more than 70 percent marks while a student from Lakki Marwat district also topped the written test in the entire province”, he added. The members of teaching community said that heads and teachers increased enrollment in their respective institutions and also improved attendance of teaching and non teaching staffers.
“Despite achievements and improvement in performance indicators the poor ranking has shocked the entire teaching community”, they regretted, saying that poor ranking of Lakki Marwat district in educational performance is beyond their comprehension therefore higher quarters concerned of government should look into it. They feared that consistent delay in filling vacancies of district education officer and deputy district education officer could be the main reason for poor educational performance of district. They revealed that the provincial government had assigned additional charge of DEO Lakki Marwat to DEO Tank with his own responsibilities last month, urging the need for filling vacant positions of district education officer and deputy district education officer on permanent basis. “The filling of vacancies on prompt basis will augment efforts aiming to improve performance indicators besides proving helpful to take the district to highest rank in educational performance”, they claimed.
