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Pilot project for school system reforms; semesters instead of terms, new exam format
Passing exams not the only objective of the new school system. Students will have practical assessments too.
The Education Ministry is to introduce a pilot project to make changes in the education system in place in schools, Education Reforms Ministry State Secretary Upali M. Sedere said. Initially the project will be introduced in 100 schools, including some national schools, and the Ministry plans to expand it in other schools later on, Dr Sedere said.
This move came about after the Ministry worked with the National Institute of Education for the last eight months. Under the programme instead of school terms there is a plan to introduce semesters, Dr Sedere said. “In schools, in the first term, a part of the syllabus for each subject is completed and a set of questions are asked in the first term exams. In the second term another section of the syllabus is completed and questions are asked from both sections in the second term exams. At the end of the year, questions are asked form the entire syllabus in the third term exams. This is what usually happens,” Dr Sedere said.
He said under the new plan the first semester exams would only have questions from the syllabus section completed during the first semester, and in the second and third semester exams it would be questions from the syllabus sections completed in each semester.
“The students will have more practical work, including taking part in projects. Many developed countries use this system, and the number of students falling behind would be reduced. Passing exams will not be the only objective of this system,” Dr Sedere said.
The Ministry hopes to introduce this system to all schools by 2023.
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