Postpone national exams until next year due to the COVID situations: EFSL
View(s):Last week the Education Forum Sri Lanka (EFSL) called on the Government to postpone all national exams in schools by one year due to the pandemic situation in the country.
It said that it will be inappropriate to hold exams when the syllabus has not been delivered to all students equally.
Currently the online education system engages only 50% of the student population and it will be unfair by the other students who were unable to participate in online classes, EFSL said.
Instead, it suggests to use this time period to determine core-competencies of all students by using the extensive network of schools, teachers, student text books and voice telephoning coverage.
It also called on schools and divisional and zonal education offices to administer periodic tests under the mandatory guidelines of the Education Ministry until national exams are held.
This would identify learning gaps in students and help take remedial measures to bring all students to a minimum core-competency level.
Also until such time, the universities and tertiary institutions will post their first year curriculum online for the benefit of grade 13 students.
EFSL has also stressed on vaccinating all teachers on a priority basis and re-opening schools this year.
Finally EFSL requested the Education Ministry to refrain from making declarations to close all schools, as they have given the green light for schools to take unilateral decisions to open or close in consultation with their respective MOH.
(CC)