RAWALPINDI: The District Education Authority (DEA) has issued show-cause notices to teachers and principals of 160 schools where pass percentage in the 9th class exam remained around 20 per cent and launched departmental action against 40 schools with zero result.
In the 9th class exam conducted by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi, 63 per cent students failed and only 37 per cent of students managed to pass.
According to the results, a total of 124,430 candidates submitted their admissions for the annual examination 2026, out of which 121,739 candidates appeared. A total of 45,724 candidates were declared successful, resulting in an overall success rate of 37.56 per cent, while 76,015 candidates failed.
District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Yaseen Khan Baloch told Dawn that 160 schools managed to get 20 per cent pass results while 40 schools showed zero result.
Training session arranged for teachers so that they prepare students for 9th grade annual exams, says DEA chief
He said action had been taken against incharges and principals of 9th classes while teachers of 40 schools had been suspended under Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act.
“After the results, a training session for the teachers started so that they will prepare students for the 9th grade annual exams. Assistant commissioners have been assigned the duty by the deputy commissioner to monitor the situation in schools,” he said.
He said that he visited 10 schools in the last two days to check whether the students were being taught properly. He said the deputy commissioner had directed to give special focus on the study of 9th and 10th grade students in government schools.
Mr Baloch said he assumed the charge in March and after the start of the new academic session, he started training sessions for teachers so children will get better education in government schools.
On the other hand, teachers were of the view that the government should stop using schoolteachers in polio, dengue and other campaigns so they will focus on their prime duty of imparting education.
They said the closure of schools in the name of a law and order situation disturbed the studies of students. They said the government should provide more facilities in schools so the middle class and poor will get better education in government schools.
Education experts also expressed serious concern over the 2026 results of 9th class and demanded an immediate, comprehensive and impartial review of the Rawalpindi board examination, marking and assessment policy.
They said that according to the available comparative data, the success ratio of Rawalpindi board for 9th class was only 37.56 per cent, while the overall average of Punjab boards was 45.17 per cent. Thus, BISE Rawalpindi is 7.61 per cent lower than the provincial average and is in the last position among the nine boards included in the comparative review.
They asked why students under the Rawalpindi board had to face a lower success rate every year compared to other boards. They said if the results were low in a single year, it could be considered a mere coincidence, but if the low results become a continuous trend, then instead of blaming the performance of students and teachers, it is necessary to impartially review the examination system, paper setting, marking and assessment methods.
Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026.
