LAHORE: Punjab School Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has fired the chairman and controller of examinations from the Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) for allegedly aiding cheating during the class-IX annual exam.
Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, who has been appointed BISE chairman, has ordered an investigation into the charges. The inquiry committee will be headed by the additional commissioner (coordination).
On Monday, the minister raided an examination centre in Baghbanpura and ordered the arrest of eight personnel suspected of enabling cheating, including five from Government High School Baghbanpura and three from Shalimar College Baghbanpura.
The suspects admitted to taking bribes to give candidates solved answer sheets and permitting impersonation.
Says the controller had employed private individuals as invigilators, which caused the issue to arise.
He stated that the chairman and controller had been suspended for assisting the cheating mafia in Lahore. “The controller had given permission to employ private persons to complete the strength of invigilators,” Mr Hayat claimed, saying that the cheating mafia threatened him for exposing them.
He stated that the private school mafia bribed board members to secure specific exam locations. “The centres were being sold for Rs80,000,” he claimed, adding that they had proof.
He said that obtaining a paper full of answers would cost each student between Rs4,000 and Rs7,000, citing charges publicized on social media by invigilators.
The minister stated that he would continue to expose the cheating mafia. “So far, 30 suspects have been arrested,” he said.
The current matric yearly examinations under the Lahore BISE have been hampered by widespread cheating.
Seven centers across the city were closed, and hundreds of students’ papers were canceled after inspectors caught superintendents, invigilators, and students red-handed.
The fraud unfolded at exam centers in Sanda, Mozang, Sabzazar, Model Town, and Civil Lines.
Meanwhile, Punjab Teachers’ Union Central General Secretary Rana Liaqat Ali expressed concerns over the transparency of examinations.
He stated that suspending the chairman and controller would not be beneficial unless the branch in charge of appointing examination staff underwent considerable adjustments.
He expressed concern over the hiring of private individuals as invigilators at specific centres. “These individuals are often affiliated with academies, tuition centres, or private schools.”
He stated that because the center superintendents were also involved in hiring private invigilators, accusing and arresting teachers was inappropriate.
He encouraged the chief minister and education minister to implement rapid reforms to the examination system, such as modifying the paper pattern, raising examination staff salary, and imposing restrictions on private individuals functioning as invigilators and marking.
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Bilal Yasin visited multiple test centers in Lahore on Monday, suspending two superintendents and dismissing six invigilators for breaking guidelines.
He claimed that polio workers and private individuals were appointed as invigilators in examination centers, which was against the law.
The provincial minister directed the education CEO to conduct a transparent investigation into the matter.
Bilal Yasin paid a surprise visit to the Government Central Model School in Lower Mall, the Central Model School on Rattigan Road, and the Girls High School Dev Samaj in Lahore.
The minister discovered five private ladies serving as invigilators at the Dev Samaj institution. He suspended the superintendent and fired five private invigilators.
He also issued a show-cause notice to the principal of Girls High School Dev Samaj for failing to perform her duties.
Later, Mr Yasin punished Central Model Lower Mall Superintendent Shahzada Usman for hiring a polio worker as an invigilator.
The minister also expressed concern with CEO Education Pervaiz Akhtar for poor monitoring and lack of duties, and directed the government to implement tangible measures to prevent cheating in all examination centers.
