The Examinations Dept is going ahead with the marking of the answer scripts of the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) Economics paper which ran into controversy over alleged erroneous questions, but will await a ruling from the Human Rights Commission (HRC). “The marking Board held discussions and the marking is currently under way. We are not [...]

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A/L Econ. answer scripts marked while HRC probes CTU complaint

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The Examinations Dept is going ahead with the marking of the answer scripts of the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) Economics paper which ran into controversy over alleged erroneous questions, but will await a ruling from the Human Rights Commission (HRC).

“The marking Board held discussions and the marking is currently under way. We are not reducing any marks, however, we are awaiting the HRC’s decision,” Commissioner General of Examinations, W.M.N.J. Pushpakumara told the Education Times.

The move came as the HRC started probing the issue following a complaint lodged by the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) regarding the GCE A/L Economics Question paper, claiming that the future of some of the students could be affected due to the errors in the question papers.

CTU President Joseph Stalin told Education Times, “This paper was a serious form of injustice caused to the students. We have complained to the HRC and urged them to act fast on this matter, because the paper marking is currently under way. They told us that the complaint will be looked at, on Monday (22). We hope they give a favourable decision and grant 15 marks as compensation to these students.”

“On August 31, 10 Professors from universities islandwide, wrote to the Examinations Commissioner and the Chief Examiner, urging them to grant 15 marks as compensation to the students who sat for this paper,” Mr. Stalin said.

The letter, signed by Prof Athula Ranasinghe from Colombo University, Prof Anoma Abhayaratne and Dr Prasanna Perera from Peradeniya University, Prof. Ajith Tennakoon from Kelaniya University, Dr. S.J.M.N.G Samarakoon from Sabaragamuwa University, and Prof P.M. Dayananda, Dr B.M. Sumanaratne, Mr Sarath Katukurunda, Mr Chandika Gunasinghe and Mr Nandasiri Keembiyahetti from Ruhuna University, states, “We appreciate the attempt to make the 2014 GCE A/L Economics paper less difficult for the students.

Nevertheless, we wish to draw your attention to several weak points and errors that we found in the paper, most of which need proper compensation. We strongly believe that those students who sat for this subject need to be compensated with at least 15 out of 200 marks due to errors in the paper.”

“Some misleading concepts embodied in Question papers I and II, if not corrected, will make a long lasting damage to the subject of Economics, when past Question papers are used as a teaching-learning material in the classroom in future,” they warned.

-Joshua Surendraraj

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