No uniformity among schools’ academic activities due to COVID outbreak
View(s):The Education Ministry is planning to carry out an island wide survey to determine as to how each of the schools has completed the syllabi for this year, in the wake of disrupted educational activities due to the COVID-19 situation, a senior ministry official said.
The findings of the survey are to be used for the purpose of adjusting educational programmes for next year and providing relief for students who are sitting the G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) exam early next year.
“We are planning to get the help of university students to assist in the survey which will cover national schools, provincial schools and rural schools,” the officer said.
The decision to launch the survey had been taken as different schools had completed the syllabi at different levels and there had been no uniformity in the completion of the syllabi even though the schools were located in the same zone.
Initially the Ministry was planning to carry out a survey to ascertain as to how the syllabuses had been completed for the O/L students, to provide relief for the students at the exam which was scheduled for January next year. Initially the exam was due to be held next month.
However, the Ministry had decided to expand the survey as amendments would be needed for the education sector to cover the syllabi.
The Education Ministry earlier made arrangements to provide online educational programmes for students, but many students had not been able to obtain the benefits of it due to a lack of facilities.
Students in Colombo had said they had not been able obtain the benefits of online classes, a spokesman for a teacher trade union said.
He also said areas outside the Western Province had faced an even worse situation, as some of the teachers said they lacked the facilities to conduct online classes.