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Predecessor’s proposed changes to Scholarship exam scrapped: Akila V.
View(s):The proposed changes to the Scholarship exam, which were to come into effect from this year, have been shelved, said Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam.
The exam will continue to have two papers- a 45-minute Multiple Choice and a 1.5-hour Question paper with a 15-minute break in between. Former Minister Bandula Gunawardane intended to have a single 3-hour paper. However, there has been opposition to this change from different bodies including teachers.
“The young minds cannot handle such pressure. If they make one small mistake even, or get upset over a minor thing, their performance in the entire paper could be affected. Their level of concentration also diminishes when they face exams of long duration.
The current system gives the children a much needed break in between papers. Hence, taking all this into consideration with expert opinion input, I have instructed the Exams Commissioner not to change the current structure of two papers to the proposed one paper,” Minister Kariyawasam said.The plan to include a practical component for assessment in the GCE Advanced Level
Technology stream, is also under review, Exams Commissioner K. Pushpakumara told the Education Times.
A new marking structure for the Technology stream, which included a practical component, was to be introduced this year. However, the required facilities to hold such practical components and its assessment in schools in various areas of the country, are still not in place, Mr Pushpakumara explained.
“Hence, we have to review the decision to include the practical assessment component in the AL Technology exam. The committee to make this decision will meet soon,” he said. (CD)