ISLAMABAD: Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Previous chairman of the Higher Education Commission HEC on Thursday stated that coming exams cannot be held online amid the countrywide protests and strikes against in-person valuations hurled by universities and other higher education institutes.
Students have hosted protests in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Lahore, and Peshawar urging the authorities conduct online exams as classes were also being held online. They are also urging the government to provide a discount in tuition fees.
The former HEC chairman uttered these remarks while talking to media on the issue which has become popular on social media since the government’s declaration to reopen higher educational institutes from February.
Mukhtar also added that this is the “privilege of the concerned authority or the teacher to decide how it wants to take the exam.”
“There are multiple assessment methods including online but the demand by the students that exams should be taken according to their wishes is not justified and it sends a wrong message to the world,” he said.
“It shows a lack of confidence between students and teachers.”
Mukhtar said that this new means of education has “exposed teachers as well because many of them could not deliver according to the requirement.”
“Online teaching included lecture delivery, students’ participation in the class, and content development for maximum understanding. There’s a need for training of teachers but it would take time.”
He said that teachers “are still not ready for this and the authorities should have taken this seriously during the previous lockdown.”
