KARACHI, Feb 8: The Sindh government’s indecisive attitude in implementing a composite examination system for Class IX and X is giving sleepless nights to nearly six hundred thousand students and their families.

Meanwhile, opposition to the idea from teachers and students organisations and other quarters is growing.

The Sindh government’s behaviour and the education minister’s announcement that composite exams would be held has put students in a quandary and they want to know whether they should prepare for separate class IX examination or appear in the exams next year.

Various students and teachers organisations, especially those in Karachi oppose implementation of the composite examination system.

They are of the view that holding examinations is a provincial subject and the Centre should not, and can not, interfere in educational affairs according to the 1973 Constitution.

They feel the federal education ministry’s intervention is a blatant violation of the constitution, they viewed.

The Sindh Education Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro agrees with the federal education ministry on holding composite exams for class IX and X. Sindh Education Secretary Sabhago Khan Jatoi, has also reiterated that the education department would stick to the policy of holding composite examination.

According to a press release issued by the education department on Monday, it was decided in the Inter-Provincial Education Minister's Meeting in 2005, that from 2006 all provinces would shift to composite examination system at matriculation level as a part of the Education Sector Reforms Package. However, Sindh asked for a one year waiver, which was granted by President Musharraf.

Following the education department’s directives, the Board of Secondary Schools Certificate (SSC) in Karachi issued a revised fee schedule for composite examination for 2008. Officials in public and private sector schools, however, were unaware of the board’s decision as it did not send them any circular in this regard. As a result, teachers, students and their parents are demanding that the government resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Information Salahuddin Haider talking to Dawn said: “the Sindh government will take a decision in the best interests of students. We feel implementation of composite examination system means reverting to old ways while the world is adopting the semester system.”

He said the provincial government had taken no decision so far about holding composite examination and a decision would be taken soon.