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University entry exam candidates face reality of disruptions
Despite the three-month lockdown to contain the coronavirus, Advanced Level candidates will not get any concessions for the exams now being held next month.
The Education Ministry said the questions will be based on the entire syllabi and there will be no increase in the choice of questions.
The Additional Secretary L.M.D. Dharmasena, said that the Advance Level students were given more time to cover the syllabi by increasing the school hours till 3:30 pm the past month. The exams have also been postponed by nearly two months to October 12.
“They had enough time to cover the syllabi,’’ he said.
Also, he said, amending exam papers will compromise standards. “This is a competitive exam and it is important to maintain our standards,’’ he said.
Changing the structure of the exam papers will also require time as samples have to be prepared and approved.
He said that all stakeholders in the education sector including zonal and provincial education directors, were consulted before fixing dates for the exams.
“They all indicated that the date was appropriate,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, schools complain that while they were able to cover the arts and commerce subjects, the lessons in science and mathematics have not been completed.
A teacher at the Muthuthambi MV Thirunelveli, Jaffna, and vice president of Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) Theeban Arokiyanathan, said that while students who go for tuition classes may have prepared themselves fully there are some who can not do so and totally depend on classroom teaching. “These children will be affected,’’ he said.
Principal Mohan Weerasinghe at Kotahena National School, and president, Sri Lanka Principal Union, said that A/L students have been badly affected in the past two years. In 2019, the Easter Sunday bombings, disrupted schools.
“Psychologically, these children have been affected a lot and they need to be given some concessions,’’ he said.
Some students, however are eager to sit for the exam.
A student at a leading girls school, said she and her friends have prepared themselves well.
“The online classes were helpful,’’ she said.
Mr. Dharmasena said that while the ministry is aware of the difficulties faced by students, it does not want to further worsen the situation by postponing the exam.