The Punjab Education Board has affirmed that the upcoming SSC (matric) exams will proceed as planned. This announcement follows a previous appeal from the All Pakistan Private Schools Association (APPSA) to the Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab and the Secretary of Higher Education, requesting a one-month delay in the examination schedule.

In the letter addressed to the authorities, APPSA Central President Mian Shabir Ahmad Hashmi emphasized the adverse impact of smog and prolonged winter holidays on students. Additionally, he highlighted concerns about the significant study time lost by students during the extended winter break. Despite these requests, the provincial education board has firmly stated that there will be no postponement of the exams, and the schedule will remain unchanged.

Also Read: Punjab Prolongs School Winter Break, Delays Exams Due To Cold

It’s worth noting that the SSC examinations are slated to commence on March 1, with the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore having released a tentative date sheet. Officials have expressed that any delay in matric examinations could potentially disrupt the schedules of higher-level exams.

In contrast, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government recently opted to defer the annual SSC (9th and 10th grade) exams, initially set to begin on March 14, by more than a month. This decision was made in response to concerns raised by parents and students, who cited apprehensions about the exams coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan.