Controversy surrounds Federal Directorate of Education as Director Exams outsources students data to private firm

Aamir Lashari
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), finds itself embroiled in yet another controversy as reports emerge of irregularities in the handling of student data. The Director (Examination), Ms. Riffat Jabeen, has allegedly outsourced the finalization of student exam results to a private project named “Taleemabad.” This move has raised concerns over potential misuse of funds and the integrity of the examination process.
Ms. Riffat, who also holds the position of Principal at IMSG (I-X) F-11/1 Islamabad, has been assigned the additional role of Director (Examination). The Federal Directorate of Education conducts centralized examinations for Class-V and Class-VIII annually, with results traditionally announced by March 31st. However, this year, the announcement was delayed due to the absence of an administrative expert in the Examination Section.
In an attempt to expedite the result compilation process, the FDE reportedly collaborated with the private project “Taleemabad” and employed Artificial Intelligence tools. However, this decision seems to have backfired, as reports suggest an error rate of over 8% in the compiled results. Such inaccuracies could have a detrimental impact on students’ grades and academics.
Critics have questioned why the Director (Examination) opted to outsource the result management system to a private project instead of utilizing the experienced team within the Examination Section of the FDE. With years of expertise in conducting exams and compiling results, the internal team of FDE could have potentially ensured a smoother and more accurate process.
In light of these irregularities, there are calls for the Secretary of Education to intervene and address the situation promptly. Many advocate for the expulsion of Ms. Riffat from the FDE and the appointment of a qualified Director (Examination) with relevant experience to oversee future examinations.
The recent outsourcing debacle at the Federal Directorate of Education has once again cast a shadow of controversy over the institution. As stakeholders demand accountability and transparency, it remains to be seen how authorities will address the situation and safeguard the interests of students and the integrity of the examination process.