O/Ls in August, A/Ls in December, from 2023 onwards
View(s):The Government’s decision to revise the examination schedule for the G.C.E. O/L and A/L exams will be put into effect from 2023 onwards ensuring there is no disadvantage to any of the students, Education Ministry Secretary Kapila Perera said.
According to the revised system approved by the Cabinet this week, the O/L exams will be held in August and the A/L exams in December.
Prof. Perera said the syllabuses will be adjusted in a manner so the O/L students will not be affected, while the A/L students who are sitting the exams for the first time will have an additional three months.
He said the students will benefit from the new scheme as they will have a nine month advantage instead of idling while awaiting results.
He said students will have a similar advantage to those who sit foreign exams and they will gain an advantage in entering universities.
Prof. Perera said usually the O/L exam is held in December and the results are out in three months, but the students cannot be enrolled in the A/L classes as the A/L students are still in their classes until the exams are held in August. As far as A/L students are concerned their results are available only in April in the following year, after sitting the exam in August, and it takes another three to five months for the re-correction of papers, he said.
He also said students apply to universities afterwards, and therefore more time is spent on this process in enrolling students into universities.
“If the O/L exam is held in August, by January of the following year, the students can enrol in the A/L classes,” Prof. Perera said.
To determine the students area of residence the electoral register and information from the Registration of Persons Department will be used, he added.
(AF)