The majority of schools in Pakistan are associated with CIE (Cambridge International Examinations). This is a British-based examination procedure that awards the final grades of O and A levels to the students. So what went wrong this year?
CIE’s Coronavirus Complications
Much of this year featured conflicting statements by the organization. First, they remarked that students who had to give exams in June will now give in November. Then they proceeded to cancel November. Later, they announced the policy that students did not know would end up in this.
CIE announced that schools would send “predicted grades” to their students. CIE will view them alongside transcripts of each student. Ultimately, a final grade will be awarded, which they think the student would have gotten had they sat for an exam.
What Went Wrong?
Although Cambridge examinations – more often than not – yield unfair results, this time was different. This time the unfairness was taken to an unimaginable level. Students who had the capability of getting A’s and A*’s were handed grades ranging from C-E.
A single reason can also not be decided upon in terms of why they were graded like that because there are too many different stories. Students who had A’s throughout their transcript also ended up in the same boat as those who did not have A’s.
While O level students’ future was hampered by this unfair grading system too, their situation is still not as bad. For A level students, these unimaginable grades mean that they can not go to any university of their choice now. They will either have to take a gap year and re-take exams, or they would have to settle for less.
Check Out The Twitter Reactions!
Fight for CAIE Students | #ImranKhanJusticeCAIE #BilawalBhuttoVsImranKhan https://t.co/C7zL0pK8cU
— Waqar Zaka (@ZakaWaqar) August 12, 2020
Thought I would get into a decent university but guess what cie results says otherwise #ImranKhanJusticeCAIE #BilawalBhuttoVsImranKhan
— Areesha Khan (@Areesha66918316) August 13, 2020
I got my cie results yesterday went from A in As to a C in A lvls 😍😍 how TF does that even logically work
— Anas Asif (@anasasif30) August 13, 2020
Waiting anxiously for 8am. Meanwhile hearing of students at a high achieving local school being awarded C grades (CIE results already out) after being predicted A and A* by their school. What a mess this is.
— Maxine Down (@radlettmum) August 13, 2020
TW: BAD RESULTS (A thread)
So, Cambridge Announced the CIE result today and I know it was a very weird experience because we are getting graded for exams we didn’t even give in the first place. Here are my thoughts on the entire thing.
— Muhammad Farazdaq (@FarazdaqMirza) August 11, 2020
Colonial Hangover
This has been a topic of discussion quite a few times, but never has it been more clear. Pakistan’s colonial hangover, this year, has resulted in the majority of its up and coming youth to be dealt with unfairly. Their futures are on the line now.
Many are saying that as long as we stick to the British as the supreme and as the authority, we will be treated this way. Why can’t Pakistan establish an education system that could provide for our examinations and method of grading? Well, we can’t because our education budget allocation gets reduced each year.
For the foreseeable future, CIE will continue to affect the mental health of so many children, and there is no remedy for it.
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