KARACHI: Girls once again kept the upper hand as the Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB) announced the results for Secondary (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificates (HSSC) for their May 2015 examination session.

This year, the board assessed students in 94 subjects at 29 centres in 24 cities across Pakistan.

The overall passing rate for SSC Part I was 88.4 per cent with 45 per cent of the candidates scoring A Grade and above. Meanwhile, the overall passing rate for SSC Part II was 90.6pc with 54.5pc of the candidates obtaining A Grade and above.

Among the successful candidates Mariam Sajjad from PECHS Girls’ School, Karachi, scored 94.9pc and secured the first position for SSC. “I plan to take admission in pre-medical and will continue my studies with AKU-EB,” said Mariam, who also clinched the first position in elective subjects of Science group. The reason for her preference for the board, she said, was that it encouraged conceptual learning and during the exams they had to give short answers based on their concepts. “So there is no rote learning at all,” she added.

Second SSC position holder Asifa Maqbool from the same school obtained 93.18pc. “I am very excited and feel on top of the world right now. Ever since I came into grade nine, I have been working very hard and dreamt about securing the top position. Initially, I thought that AKU-EB examinations will be difficult but actually they are not. The course of study is designed towards the practical side of life,” said Asifa.

Uzma Durre Sameen from Maryam Siddiqa Girls Higher Secondary School, Chenab Nagar, Punjab, scored overall third position in SSC examination.

Anoosha Rahim from Habib Girls’ School, Karachi, secured the first position in elective subjects of Humanities group.

Both first and second positions in HSSC examination were also secured by girls from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Karimabad, Karachi.

Not only did Fatema Quaid Johar clinch the overall first position in HSSC examination with 93.45pc, she also topped in the elective subjects of pre-engineering group.

The second position holder for HSSC examination, Marium Zehra scored 91.45pc.

Faiza Jamal from Habib Girls’ School, Karachi secured the overall third position in HSSC examination and also stood first in pre-medical elective subjects.

HSSC group-wise position holders for elective subjects in commerce, humanities, general science and pre-engineering include Muneeba Hamid and Ramsha Abdul Karim from Habib Girls’ School Karachi; Rajnesh Roop Chand from St. Bonaventure’s High School, Hyderabad; and Hissam Karim from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Karimabad, Karachi respectively.

This year passing rate for HSSC Part I examination was 88.3pc with 35.2pc of the candidates scoring A Grade and above. The passing rate for HSSC Part II examination was 92.2pc with 46.2pc of the candidates obtaining A Grade and above.

“Congratulations to all the candidates who worked hard in preparing for the exams. The students who have successfully passed AKU-EB examinations demonstrate higher-order cognitive skills and the ability to use critical thinking and problem solving skills,” said Dr Shehzad Jeeva, Director, AKU-EB.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2015

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