The federal education ministry on Thursday issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the British Council to conduct “special” O level exams, which the government had earlier postponed amid a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths, in July-August.
“We issued an NOC today to British Council allowing it to hold special O level exams from July 26 to August 6,” federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood tweeted, saying the decision will facilitate O level students to start their A level or FA/FSc studies from September.
“This kind of exam in July is unprecedented and I am happy that Cambridge is arranging it,” Mahmood added.
A letter shared by the minister that was sent to the country director of British Council-Pakistan stated that the agency “is fully authorised to conduct [a] mini exam series from July 26, 2021, to August 6, 2021, subject to all approved/notified Covid-19 SOPs existing for ‘A’ level [exams]”.
In a second tweet, Mahmood said the pandemic had “created immense difficulties in all walks of life but [e]specially in education”.