Thousands of students in Pakistan received their Cambridge International O Level, Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge ICE results today for the June 2021 exams series including the replacement exams held in July/August 2021.
About 30,000 Cambridge International students in Pakistan sat their exams in the June 2021 series. This includes those who sat the replacement exams in July and August, which were put in place after their original exams were stopped in May/June.
This year Cambridge International ran exams globally for its June 2021 series only where it was safe and permitted to do so. In Pakistan the decision was taken to stop the Cambridge International O Level, IGCSE and AS Level exams to keep students safe, following a surge in the Covid-19 cases at that time. Cambridge International engaged with the government, education authorities, and schools in Pakistan to find a solution that would enable students to progress with their education. It agreed to offer replacement exams for 14 of the most popular Cambridge O Level and IGCSE subjects taken by majority of year 11 students in Pakistan, so that they could complete their studies in these subjects, before starting their next school year.
Their success today is thanks to the active support of parents and schools, who helped them overcome the many challenges posed by the pandemic, to gain their qualifications. Each will now be able to continue with their next educational steps.
Christine Özden, Chief Executive, Cambridge International said: “I would like to congratulate all of our students in Pakistan who have received their Cambridge International O Level and IGCSE results today. This is a fantastic achievement, and more so this year than any other, as these students have had to overcome the many challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, these results are a testament of their resilience and dedication to their studies over the past year. All of them should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.
“I would like to thank the Pakistan government for all of their support, which enabled us to run these additional exams for our students. I would also like to thank our schools and their teachers for the incredible work and commitment they have given to helping our students to achieve these qualifications. These results mean that students in Pakistan can now continue with their education.”
Uzma Yousuf, Country Director, Pakistan, Cambridge International said: “I am delighted to see the achievements of our students who are receiving their results today.
It has been yet another challenging year for everyone. Policy makers had some very difficult choices to make, and we all tried our best to work out ways of holding exams safely so that Cambridge students could continue their education journey. I am really heartened by the commitment and dedication shown by our students in taking their exams, despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, which affected them on so many levels, and families, schools and teachers constantly rising to the challenge in supporting each other to ensure the best possible support for our young people.
I would like to thank Mr Shafqat Mehmood, Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training and all of the provincial education ministers for extending their support which enabled us to hold the exams in Pakistan.
I would also like to thank our partners, the British Council for conducting these exams in a very difficult situation.”
The safety of students continues to be Cambridge International’s highest priority. The replacement exams were held following strict standard operating procedures. These included staff thoroughly sanitizing the exam halls before and after each exam and making sure everyone inside the exam venues wore a facemask and always followed strict social distancing measures.
Students who were unable to take some subjects in the June 2021 series are currently sitting those exams in the November 2021 exams series. They also have an option to sit these exams in any future Cambridge exams series.
More than 700 schools across Pakistan offer Cambridge programmes and qualifications to their students. The Cambridge Pathway curriculum offers flexibility and choice to students and schools, with over 40 subjects available in Cambridge O Level, over 70 subjects at Cambridge IGCSE and over 55 subjects offered at Cambridge International AS & A Level, and a choice of two exam series each year.