Parents, students nervous

ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The strike by almost 7,000 teachers of the federal government schools is threatening to disrupt the annual examinations` schedule, making parents and students edgy. The annual exams for the one to fourth and sixth to eighth classes are scheduled to be held next month. Similarly, the matriculation exams will be held in April. But with the strike continuing, the students of federal government schools are not attending classes â€" just days before the annual exams. Scheduled to start on February 19, the board`s primary exams had already been delayed because of the strike. "February and March are months of exams but my two kids are sitting at home," Fareeha Ahmed told Dawn on Monday. She said her neighbour`s daughter is appearing in the fifth grade exams as she is studying in an Islamabad model school. "I am very disturbed and worried." The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has been running a three-tier education system with different service structures. The teachers of federal government schools demanding a uniform service structure went on strike early this month. Though the government announced an upgradation plan for the teaching staff of FG schools, they turned it down on February 20. "I was asked by teachers to stay away from school and spend time with friends," said Ahad Ali, 15, a student of 7th grade in FG (Model) School for Boys in G-8/4, also known as T&T School. "I told my mother and she asked me to take private classes to prepare for the exams in March," Ali said. The situation was no different at federal government schools for girls. "The banner outside my daughter`s school says there will be no classes and we are not responsible for students. So I asked her to stay at home," Farhan Ahmed told Dawn . "February is crucial for preparing for final exams. This is the month when teachers make students work hard." He said his daughter and hundreds of other students were sitting idle at home. "This uncertainty adversely affects students` progress."