Examinations authorities are facing a crisis as a result of a shortage of teachers to mark Advanced Level (A-Level) papers, while some teachers assigned for paper-marking duty say they are being intimidated and not being allowed to turn up for work.
Teachers in Kandy claim they have received anonymous calls warning them to stay away. Only 10 out of 21 exam paper marking centres in Kandy are functioning, according to one education official.
Meanwhile, according to Sri Lanka Teachers Union secretary Joseph Stalin, the paper marking crisis has hit other areas as well. “There is no paper marking in the Matara, Galle, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Kandy areas”, Mr. Stalin said, adding that a pool of teachers had been randomly assembled by the Examinations Commissioner General to correct A-Level papers.
The initial deadline for applications for paper marking was May 30, but because the Department of Examinations received less than 500 applications by that date, the deadline was delayed till August 8, and three weeks after the second deadline the department was still short of the required number of applicants, Mr. Stalin said.
Meanwhile, Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe said the Examination Commissioner General was coercing teachers into doing A-Level paper-marking. “He [Examination Commissioner General] is trying to force teachers to correct the papers when they refuse to show up.”
Referring to teacher protests that took place earlier this year, Mr. Jayasinghe said: “The protest was not union action but an attempt to point out to the authorities the unfair teacher salary discrepancies and the harassment that teachers underwent last year.”
Mr. Jayasinghe said teachers were questioning the credibility of government promises that teacher salaries would be increased. The same promise was made last year, and still there had been no salary increase, he said.
Last year, teachers marking A-Level papers went on strike, prompting the government to promise a 50 percent pay hike, which had yet to materialise, he said.
Anura Edirisinghe, the Examinations Commissioner, was unavailable for comment. | 
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