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Conflicting statements on A/L admission for intl. school students in state-run schools
View(s):Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said the Education Ministry would consider applications from international school students to follow G.C.E Advanced level classes in state schools pending the outcome of a proposed cabinet committee to look into it.
Minister Rambukwella said that the earlier cabinet proposal had been put on hold and students of international schools could gain admission to state schools if there were vacancies.
However Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said the committee had not been appointed as yet and a decision would be taken following its report.
The minister said, according to UNESCO’s mother tongue policy, a person had to commence his education in his mother tongue, to be considered to belong to that nationality.
“This is what we have being doing in Sri Lanka. Students who enter state-run schools are taught in either Sinhala or Tamil up to grade five. English language is introduced only in grade three as a subject.” He added that students in international schools followed English from kindergarten -a different course from students who enter state schools.
He stressed, that giving these students an opportunity to enter state schools would discriminate against students coming from rural areas and added state run schools did not have sufficient vacancies to accommodate them.The minister pointed out that international schools were not permitted to conduct classes for the local ‘A’ level syllabus.
“Students in these schools normally sit for the London or Edexcel examinations,” he said.