The recently concluded examinations conducted by BISE and the universities of Malakand and SBBU, Sheringal were comparatively fair, which came to lovers of education as a fresh breeze of air. It is hoped that the momentum will be maintained with a view to developing zero tolerance for cheeting. There were, however, rumours that in few institutions, offered as exclusive centers , some degree of latitude was allowed and that needs to be curbed in the future. It may be recalled that in the recent past students obtaining 800 plus marks through unfair means could not pass entry tests, while others with mere qualifying marks were able to pass entry tests. This should be an eye opener for those of my friends who prefer transitory gains at the cost of their institutions and education's long term interests.

 

Three factors played important role in this paradigm shift. For the past few years we were doing advocacy in this behalf and were able to weaken booty mafia. Secondly the arrival of the new EDO, Education acted as a catalyst for the shift. Thirdly the assumption of jurisdiction by SBBUand their policy formulation, after consultation with genuine stakeholders, went a long way to hit the nail on the head.All well meaning Chitralis and lovers of education must join hands to protect these gains and to expand on them. We congratulate the controller of examinations at BISE and SBBU, as well as, UOM for making arrangements to conduct fair exams. For Malakand University this was their last examination as from now onwards SBBU would assume jurisdiction as per the Regulations approved by the Governor.The rumour mongering that SBBU would be abolished by the next government is highly irresposible. It is a government decision and is part of the strategy that more universities may be established to produce qualified manpower. If Tokyo can have 1000 universities and India many thousands, then why can't Pakistan have one state university for each district to offer economical alternative to private universities? In fact we hope to get a university of our own in the near future.

 

Our one years experience of working with SBBU has been highly satisfactory. We found it more efficient; no problems were encountered in getting roll numbers and other facilitations in time. For the past couple of years exam staff has been generally undemanding and are paying their expenses from their own pocket, thus setting a healthy precedent, on which we now want to build. So far there was a practice of getting contribution from students for extending hospitality to exam staff, which the students took as bribe for keeping the centers relaxed. Students and teachers found it convenient to manufacture good results without working hard and teachers claimed increments on that basis. Booty mafia was built up in exam conducting outfits to reinforce the unholy alliance. Thanks God we have rediscovered ourselves and our honesty. Hopefully education would reinvent itself as a means for holistic development rather than search for a piece of paper called "degree", which was not worth the paper that it was written on.

 

The high point of the year is the opening of SBBU Campus in Chitral at a rental facility. Had our elected representatives delivered on their promise given to the Vice Chancellor that they would arrange land for the campus through the provincial government, we would have started the campus in our own building. We expect them to rise up to their responsibility and intercede with KPK Government and HEC to establish permanent SBBU campus in Chitral within two years. We, the educated people would judge them on this count more than any thing else .-- Islamuddin, Garm Chashma, 03 July 2011.

 

Comment:1

It is refreshing, if the observations and comments made reflect the reality, to know that anti-cheating message is beginning to penetrate to the citadel of a systemic chronic disease that does not kill instantly but disfigures the learners permanently, rendering them useless. I used the word useless because those who clime the learning ladder through unfair means are intellectually like those whose hands, feet and faces are disfigured by a flash-eating disease, reducing them to be totally dependent on others’ mercy. Who is responsible for such a harmful behavior that leads to intellectual disfiguring of young learners? The system or the students? Islamuddin’s analysis indicates that it is the system to be blamed not students and I agree with him. Students are already under tremendous pressure of their parents, teachers and of their personal fear of failing, if teachers had failed to guide them learn well. I also share with Islamuddin the hope that this shift toward positive discipline gets momentum and doesn’t get burst like a bubble. Having said that Let me add that cheating in academic setting is a global phenomenon, even the most advanced systems are susceptible to it. Recently, a Dean of a Canadian university was caught after his convocation address that he was reading someone else’s speech which was written and already delivered. A more specific instance is the cheating scandal in Georgia Schools in the USA. I am reproducing the article in this regard which appeared in the daily Toronto Star. Education systems, in their evolving stage, largely depend on their leaders who actually create a culture by which to sustain the initiatives that are introduced. Not all leaders are visionary and steadfast in continuing their predecessors’ best practices. The only way to sustain best practices is to create a collective leadership which means that people in the system collectively understand and subscribe to the vision of the leader and uphold the best practices as their own. But not to forget that they are human beings who have weaknesses and propensity to be influenced by a few bad apples. There where it becomes critical for those who are outside the system and care about education to have a vigilant eye on the system on an ongoing basis. My advice would be to form an independent watchdog, a think tank, comprising public intellectuals, journalists, community leaders, parents and others who have interest in education and public good to keep an eye on the system, highlight and analyze the issues and propose solutions. Below is the article I referred to.

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/schoolsandresources/article/1021014--atlanta-teachers-principals-caught-fixing-students-mistakes-in-massive-cheating-scandal  

July 7, 2011

Kenyon Wallace

TORONTO STAR

It’s being called the biggest academic cheating scandal in U.S. history, but this time it’s not the students who’ve been caught red-handed — it’s their teachers and principals.

A sweeping review by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found that an unprecedented 178 educators in the Atlanta public school system erased and changed answers on standardized tests to inflate student scores.

Cheating was identified in 44 of 56 schools examined as part of what investigators called a widespread “conspiracy” within the school board to increase student scores on the 2009 Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test. Eighty-two educators have so far confessed to altering answers.

“A culture of fear, intimidation and retaliation permeated the Atlanta Public Schools system from the highest ranks down,” reads the Bureau’s report, released this week. “Cheating was allowed to proliferate until, in the words of one former APS principal, ‘it became intertwined in Atlanta Public Schools ... a part of what the culture is all about.’”

The report says educators not only fixed test scores, but also lied to investigators about their knowledge of the practice and even went so far as to destroy documents to cover their tracks.

In one instance, the report describes how teachers at Gideons Elementary School took students’ answer sheets to a weekend “changing party” at a teacher’s home. The principal of Venetian Hills Elementary School even went so far as to wear gloves when she altered answers so as to not leave any fingerprints on the answer sheets.

Investigators lay much of the blame on Superintendant Beverly Hall and her senior staff who they say knew, or should have known, what was occurring. The revelations were doubly shocking to investigators and parents alike in light of the fact that Hall was named U.S. Superintendent of the Year in 2009 because of the school system’s remarkable gains in test scores — achievements that have now been thrown into doubt.

“Dr. Hall and her administration emphasized test results and public praise to the exclusion of integrity and ethics,” says the report.

A lawyer for Hall, Richard Deane, said his client knew nothing of the cheating.

“Dr. Hall steadfastly denies that she, her staff, or the vast majority of APS teaching and administrative professionals knew or should have known of any allegedly widespread cheating,” Deane said in a statement. “She further denies any other allegations of knowing and deliberate wrongdoing on her part or on the part of her senior staff, whether during the course of the investigation or before the investigation began.”

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal called the report’s findings “troubling” and said all educators identified in the report would be subject to a review by the state’s Professional Standards Commission, which will decide whether to revoke or suspend their teaching licences.

Results of the investigation are also being sent to county prosecutors to determine if criminal charges should be laid. Under Georgia law, destroying or altering public records carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

“When test results are falsified and students who have not mastered the necessary material are promoted, our students are harmed, parents lose sight of their child’s true progress, and taxpayers are cheated,” Deal said in a statement. “The report’s findings are troubling, but I am encouraged that this investigation will bring closure to the problems that existed in APS and restore the focus on students and the classroom.”  -- Dr. Mir Baiz Khan, Toronto Canada, 09 July 2011

 

Obituary

Abdul Hassan, lecturer in Chemistry at Vector College Shoghore, died in a road accident near Lolgram, Karimabad on June 30, 2011. Two others lost their lives in the fatal road accident, while 8 were injured, 5 seriously. Abdul Hassan, 27 years of age, had done his masters from Karachi.He started his career as Lecturer in Chemistry at the community based Al Nasir School and College, Garam Chashma. Few years back he developed differences with the sponsoing Al Nasir Cooperative Society, when the latter decided to sell the College. Abdul Hassan and his two other colleagues, including the Principal insisted that the Society comprising 28 members had the mandate from the community to only manage the college on behalf of the community and can not sell it for profit motive or pecuniary consideration under the Cooperative Societies Act, under which it was registered. The said law provided transfer of management to another registered community based entity having same objective after approval from Cooperative Registrar.

 

According to the Principal of the School, its construction was financed largely through donor support amounting to Rs.2.3 million and the community contribution, including those of Society members was less than 300,000, which required community approval for any change in the status of the School. As these formalities had been bypassed, Abdul Hassan and his Colleagues resisted the move, in which they had full backing from students and other enlightened members of the community. The deal was successfully blocked but the Society chose to punish the three leaders of striking teachers and they were sacked. Instead of taking recourse to the court of law, for which they had a very strong case, they chose to say goodbye to their School and College in the interest of social harmony. Immediately two of them, including the deceased, were offered lecturership at better salary package by Vector College, Shoghore. On the fateful day, which was the last working day before summer vacations, late Abdul Hassan, took his students on an excursion trip to Susum, Karimabad. While returning from the trip they met with this fatal accident at the very spot, which had taken few lives a couple of years ago. May Allah rest the departed souls in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved families to bear their irreparable losses with equanimity. Ameen.

 

While his friends and colleagues are preparing to hold a reference to recall his services for the community, it would be in the fitness of things that civili society organizations and government institutions revisited their development strategies and quality of civil works, which are becoming responsible for the loss of precious lives, many in leadership position in their respective fields. The failure of Cooperative Societies Department to protect public interest also needs to be looked into and it is time that it woke up from its deep slumber and exercised effective supervsory control over registered societies as per law. My good friend and Chitrals new hope in the education sector, EDO, Siraj Muhammad Khan has already promised that he would reactivate regulatory mechanism in his office to protect public interest and community ownership of community based educational institutions. We have also formed CBS Forum to do advocacy in this behalf. If we are able to do these things, the death rather martyrdom of Abdul Hassan and his students would not go in vain. -- Islamuddin, Garm Chashma,  03 July 2011.