Matric exams postponed in Karachi

KARACHI: The Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) has postponed the ninth and matric exams scheduled from May 21-27 in the wake of expected heatwave, ARY News reported on Monday.

According to the notification issued here, the decision was taken in view of the heatwave alert issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

“It is further informed that the said examination will now be continued with effect from 28th May, 2024 as per schedule. The revised schedule of postponed papers will be issued later on,” read the notification. 

 

The decision to postpone matric exams comes a day after Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) exams announced that exams slated to start on May 22 have been deferred for five days till May 27 in the wake of heatwave in Sindh.

The intermediate exams, originally slated to start on May 22, will now begin on May 27.

Heatwave alert

The citizens of Karachi have been left sweltering due to the current heat spell that has gripped the metropolis for the past few weeks and a significant rise in temperatures is expected during the next 10 days.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted that the country may experience three heatwaves in various cities during the next 25 days.

The presence of high pressure in the upper atmosphere will result in heatwave conditions in most parts of the country, especially Punjab and Sindh from May 21 and a severe heatwave from May 23 to 27, the advisory warned.

Daytime temperatures are “likely to remain 4 to 6 degrees centigrade above normal” in Sindh and Punjab from May 21 to 23 and six to 8°C from May 23 to 27.

In Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan, day temperatures are likely to remain four to 6°C above normal from May 21 to 27.

The advisory wanted authorities to remain alert and take necessary measures to deal with the heatwave spell.