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GCE A/L in 2 segments to accommodate polls
View(s):The GCE Advanced Level (A/L) exam will be held in two segments to accommodate the General Election scheduled for August 17, said Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam yesterday. Following this decision, the A/L exam will commence on August 4 as scheduled and go on till August 13, when it breaks to accommodate the General Elections.
The exams will resume on August 24 and conclude on September 8. However, the Grade 5 Scholarship exam will be held as scheduled on August 23. Meanwhile, Education unions expressed their displeasure over the Ministry’s decision. Ceylon Teacher Services Union General Secretary, Mahinda Jayasinghe said the decision would cause mental stress to the A/L candidates.
“They are playing with the lives of these students. At the beginning of this month (June 4) I wrote to the President, urging him to ensure the elections are held either before or after the examinations. Yet, today these children are faced with a grievous situation. This one of the most decisive examinations of their lives and should have been taken into account,” he said.
Ceylon Teacher’s Union President, Joseph Stalin expressed concern over the students facing the examination in an environment that will ensue in the coming days, following various election propaganda activities that would take place. “This is going to be a heavily contested election and A/L candidates are going to be severely affected by this,” he said.