2021 grade five scholarship exams: Cut off marks increased in some districts
View(s):The cut off marks for the 2021 grade five scholarship exams has increased by ten marks for certain districts, because of the illegal admission of children to popular schools in those areas, The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said last week.
CTU Secretary Joseph Stalin said certain schools were in the habit of admitting children to grades, between grade two and five every year, resulting in crowded classrooms.
A Supreme Court order in 2016 had ruled that grade one classes in 2021 should not hold more than 35 children. Accordingly each grade one classroom should have only 35 students, from this year onwards.
The Government’s action to increase the cut off marks had been questioned by Minister Bandula Gunawardana, who was the former Education Minister.
He asked for a transparent procedure to be adopted in classifying popular schools. Around 326,000 students sat for the grade five scholarship exams last year. (CC)