Re-assessment to ruin education system: Rozina

By Muhammad Ahmad Noorani

ISLAMABAD: Despite Islamabad High Court (IHC)’s judgment in her favour, winds keep blowing against Farah Hameed Dogar, the daughter of Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, as the chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Education also came out against the controversial and illegal option of re-assessment.

While talking to The News, Rozina Alam Khan finally opened her heart, terming the “re-assessment/re-marking” of papers illegal and discriminatory, saying, such an option would completely demolish the examination and education system of the country. She repeatedly stressed on the point that there should be no provision whatsoever which allowed re-assessment of papers as she said it will only benefit kith and kin of the high and mighty of society.

“There should be absolutely no provision of re-assessment of answer sheets in the relevant rules of the respective intermediate boards, otherwise the whole edifice of our education system would crumble,” said a press release issued by Rozina before her chat with The News. She told The News that such a provision of allowing re-assessment after the announcement of result will provide the rich and powerful an opportunity to manipulate things, secure undue favours and extra marks for their kith and kin at the cost of teeming millions. “It is a great injustice to the talented and hardworking students as well,” she added.

The senator categorically denied that she had summon the meeting of her committee under some government pressure even after the IHC and the Supreme Court had turned down appeals to halt parliamentary bodies’ proceedings. She said that she had summoned the meeting of her committee with the agenda to discuss the irregularities committed in Farah Dogar’s case.

“We had given a three-week time to the Education Ministry to conduct a complete inquiry into the scandal of jacking up of Farah Dogar’s marks,” Rozina said, adding, the matter became sub judice, so she was unable to continue with the proceedings of her committee.

Rozina said that on Tuesday she talked to federal Education Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani about summoning the committee’s meeting on Farah Dogar’s issue soon, and Bijarani had ensured her of ministry’s complete cooperation in this regard.

She said the minister was of the view that an inquiry demanded by the committee was delayed as the record of Farah Dogar case was sealed by the IHC. Rozina said the record will be unsealed and will be returned to the Education Ministry soon and then they will present a report to her committee after completing the required inquiry.

She said that if the committee found any irregularity in marking FarahÂ’s papers, action would be demanded according to the rules against the perpetrators of any wrong act. She said the committee will work to evolve a mechanism to abolish the existing provision, which is in total contravention to principles of justice and fair play. She said that the committee was comprised on real professionals in the education field who work on issues and will never allow any wrong thing.
Source: The news
Date:1/22/2009