Matriculation examinations in North Waziristan have been postponed due to security concerns, the Bannu Board confirmed on Monday.

The exams, which were scheduled to begin on April 8, will now be held at a later date to ensure the safety of students and staff in the region.

A notification issued by the Bannu Board stated that the decision was made in light of the prevailing law and order situation in North Waziristan. New dates for the exams will be announced after consultation with relevant security agencies and administrative authorities.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting of education boards across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was held under the chairmanship of Education Minister Faisal Khan Tarakai to review final preparations for the province-wide matric exams. As per the schedule, exams will commence from April 8 in all other districts.

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According to official figures, 475,000 ninth-grade and 444,000 tenth-grade students will appear in this year’s matriculation examinations. To facilitate the process, 3,634 examination centers have been established across the province, with 25,810 staff members deployed for invigilation and administrative duties.

Board chairpersons briefed the education minister on logistical arrangements, including the provision of furniture, clean drinking water, electricity, and stationery at all centers. The education minister emphasized a zero-tolerance policy against cheating, instructing staff to ensure a fair and transparent exam process.

"Students should not be disturbed during exams. Instead, they should be encouraged and supported," said Minister Tarakai, while also announcing the establishment of control rooms and CCTV-equipped monitoring cells to oversee the examinations in real-time.

The education secretary also directed officials to avoid unnecessary pressure on students and focus on maintaining a supportive examination environment.