KHYBER: Educationists and representatives of teacher associations in Khyber have expressed reservations over simultaneous conducting of school-based assessment (SBA), semester and internal midterm examinations from primary to middle levels.
They said that though SBA was beneficial in ascertaining and then removing flaws in educational system, it was implemented in a haphazard manner with miscalculated timings and high cost of stationery in the face of acute shortage of funds for primary schools.
The elementary and secondary education department had earlier in an inaugural session of SBA in Peshawar, termed it a major shift towards standardised curriculum-aligned and curriculum-based learning for schools.
It said that the shift would replace inconsistent classroom level tests with uniform curriculum aligned assessment for 3rd grade to 8th grade covering English, mathematics, science and general knowledge subjects.
Requesting anonymity, educationists and representatives of teacher associations argued that the standards set by Directorate of Curriculum and Teachers Education (DCTE) for meeting SBA requirements could not be immediately met due to overcrowded classrooms, mostly at primary level, and inadequate facilities in most of government schools.
Dept terms SBA a major shift towards standardised curriculum-aligned and curriculum-based learning
“The current SBA, although intended as a formative tool, has effectively become high stakes as its scores are included in final results while teachers feel constant accountability pressure and school heads worry about objections and audits,” said one of the experts.
He argued that with the new system, student promotions could be indirectly affected as any assessment that influenced promotion, reputation or accountability became high stakes regardless of what the policy intended.
Representatives of teacher associations said that with every paper consisting of two to three pages, it was a financial burden on public schools with insufficient funds for primary students, coupled with non-availability of photo copiers and printers in most of public sector educational institutions in merged districts.
They said that non-availability of uninterrupted internet and mobile service and frequent electricity outages would also hamper such on-line examinations in most parts of tribal districts with no immediate remedy in sight.
Shortage of teachers was also cited as one of the major reasons for swift and successful conduct of such ‘productive’ exercise to enhance the quality of education in tribal districts. They said that lack of awareness among students would also adversely affect results of such ‘innovative ideas’ of education department.
A teacher in a government primary school in Bara said that SBA along with the new semester system was abruptly introduced without taking local teaching community, who were the real stakeholders, into confidence. He said that students too were overburdened as they were busy in preparations for midterm examinations.
He said that students in tribal districts were not mentally prepared for an abrupt change in the examination procedure as semester system was suited to schools with classrooms having manageable strength of students whereas in tribal districts the number of students in a primary grade classroom was 80 to 100.
The teacher said that in most schools, teachers had not yet finished their courses as textbooks were provided to those schools on time and students were unable to prepare for the new semester courses.
KSI: Khyber Siyasi Ittehad (KSI) on Sunday expressed dissatisfaction over declining health facilities at district headquarters hospital Landi Kotal and deteriorating standard of education in the district.
Talking to journalists in Landi Kotal Press Club, KSI leaders demanded of authorities to resolve the billing issue of hospital and reducing the duration of power loadshedding.
They said that numerous government educational institutions, especially girls’ schools and colleges, were faced with shortage of teachers. They said that KSI would launch a campaign to encourage locals to enrol their daughters in degree college in Landi Kotal to save the institution from closure.
The KSI leaders also expressed reservations over delay in execution of a number of development schemes, with special focus on speedy completion of water supply schemes.
Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2025.
