Educate A Change & AYLOTI Study Present Plea for Change to CAIE Board’s Examination Policies in Pakistan

Uncertain situations due to the pandemic are creating insurmountable problems for many Pakistani students.

BAHAWALPUR, PAKISTAN, March 29, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The huge surge of recent COVID-19 cases is creating unforeseen uncertainty and stress for thousands of Pakistani students who are trying to complete their education. Educate A Change and AYLOTI Study, in recognition of these issues, has a 6-point agenda to propose to CAIE board members.

Founded in 2017 by renowned Pakistani educationalist Hunain Zia, AYLOTI was started as an ambitious project dedicated to helping humanity in a variety of fields. Educate A Change, one of AYLOTI’s prime projects, offers a formal online education platform on which many Pakistani students rely.

With students’ best interest at heart, AYLOTI founder and CEO Hunain Zia says he has the utmost respect for the CAIE board's activities in Pakistan. Over the last several weeks, however, it has become increasingly apparent that students in Pakistan are experiencing difficulties and that changes need to be made.

“All we want is the best for our students,” says Zia. “They’ve been trying hard to get their voices heard through social media, to no avail. I’m hoping that we can help get the message through to the appropriate decision-makers with our proposal for a 6-point agenda.”

The problem lies in the fact that the education system is in a dire situation due to the pandemic. With continuous impending lockdowns, unreliable online educational methods, the high rate of infections and the urgent need to care for sick family members, students are crying out for help.

According to Zia, changes to the local examination pattern in Pakistan have put CAIE students at a distinct disadvantage in the current scenario.

“The current CAIE update ensures the possibility of rescheduling and delay,” he says. “But, unfortunately this step comes as too little, too late.”

Zia’s 6-point agenda for CAIE O Level/ IGCSE and A-Level examinations in Pakistan is designed to help students succeed.

1. The examination should neither be canceled nor shifted to teacher-assessed and predicted grades. Such grading, while fair to some, paves the way to unfair treatment, such as inflated grades, under-grading, favoritism, biased and discriminated grades, grade sales, and mishandling of private candidates. Exam cancellation or postponement to the next (Oct/Nov) series creates an uncertain situation where multiple students' future comes at stake, especially students in the last year of O Level / IGCSE and A-Level, due to the college and university applications and private candidates.

2. Exams must be delayed by one and a half months. The current surge in Covid-19 cases is unprecedented and creates an unsafe examination environment before that period.

3. Institutions must be closed for at least a month to curb the surge in Covid-19 cases. Otherwise, we cannot have a safe examination environment in late June 2021.

4. Reduce the syllabuses and exam lengths. There are three reasons for this suggestion. First, it will allow students to prepare better given the restrictions of online classes and the familial issues arising from catching COVID. Second, if cases remain high in late June / early July, exams can be taken in batches due to their shorter length to protect students from overcrowded situations. Third, it will allow the CAIE board to check the exams and provide results when they are due.

5. Provide results when they are due to ensure a smooth college application process.

6. The entry tests of local institutions/universities must be rescheduled to provide passing O Level and A Level students a fair chance to secure admission. Conditional offers must be provided until CAIE releases the official results. Semesters should be started a week later to accommodate the scenario, too.

“The current statement by CAIE regarding examinations in Pakistan has already proven that rescheduling and delaying exams is feasible,” adds Zia. “As such, we request all relevant authorities to consider the points mentioned above as the best steps to protect and foster everyone's interests. Again, our respect, support, and extreme regard are always with every official decision-making authority. We understand that they are working in our best interest. However, sometimes, the best suggestions arise from those in close contact with the affected community.”

About Educate A Change and AYLOTI Study
Created by renowned Pakistani educationalist, multiple World Record Holder, and public figure, AYLOTI was first begun as a digital innovation firm but now works in multiple fields to benefit humanity. Educate A Change is one of AYLOTI’s prime projects, providing a formal online education platform and on a mission to develop the world’s first completely digital and virtual reality-based school in Pakistan.

Hunain Zia, Founder & CEO
Educate A Change and AYLOTI Study
+92 334 011 1855
general@educateachange.com