News
Come October, Govt. will sweep part-educated students into A/L exams
Despite schools being closed for more than a year and syllabuses not being covered fully the education ministry has decided to hold the Advanced Level examination in October.
Last week, the Department of Examinations opened up its website to receive applications for the 2021 Advanced Level (A/L) exams to be held in the first week of October.
All schools and private students have been asked to send in applications online because the COVID-19 pandemic has restricted movement across the country.
Education trade unions called “foul” to the move to hold the exams, saying a significant proportion of students have not had the chance to follow online lessons due to poor data coverage or because they could not afford electronic devices.
The government has been oblivious to persistent reports highlighting the absence of data coverage in rural areas and the inability of poverty-stricken children to gain access to electronic devices such as computers and smartphones.
Education Minister Professor G L Peiris recently said only 12 percent of the 4.3 million students in the country are affected by lack of coverage.
Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin claims studies show that 60 percent of students do not have access to electronic devices and data coverage.
Children in rural areas and the plantation sectors were struggling – they were climbing trees, mountains and towers to gain improved data reception.
“Belittling the problem by offering imaginary figures only reveals the minister’s incompetence,” Mr. Stalin said.
The education ministry says lessons disseminated through television channels and online classes should suffice to pass national exams.
The ministry points to the programme, “e-Thaksalawa”, a virtual classroom on the state-owned Eye Channel, which has delivered around 65,000 lessons.
Prof. Peiris claimed around 250,000 students enter this site every day. Lessons are broadcast 16 hours a day, five days a week.
Other institutions such as the National Institute of Education also have learning programmes for students from Grade 3 to Advanced Level on TV.
Additionally lessons are being distributed through social media networks and printed material distributed through education ministry offices in the provinces, regional divisions and schools under the direct supervision of subject directors.
Recently, steps have been taken to establish Regional Learning Centres in rural areas. They are furnished with internet-linked laptops and computers for children who lack their own electronic devices. Each centre has about 10 computers.
Trade unions claim these are meagre facilities introduced recently to a small section of students and will not resolve the problem of 15 months’ lost study time due to the closure of schools.
This was disputed by Prof. Kapila Perera who said his ministry had not shut schools for the entire period last year.
“We did open up schools, especially for higher grades, but the turn-up of students, particularly in the Western Province, was very poor,” he said.
He admitted that online classes could not be equated to lessons conducted in classrooms.
Prof. Perera rejected the notion that students sitting exams would be granted syllabus concessions, saying questions would be based on the entire syllabus.
“We will hold exams as scheduled,” he said. Accordingly, as well as the Advanced Level exams being held in early October, the Grade 5 scholarship exams will be held on October 4 and the Ordinary Level exams in January 2022.
Teachers complained that syllabuses have not been completed. Nuwara Eliya CTU district secretary V. Indraselvan said only about half the syllabuses have been completed.
He said due to travel restrictions only those living within 200m radius of schools have been able to attend class.
“At least 85-90 percent of the syllabuses have to be covered by now but we have finished only around 50 percent,” he said.
Further, there had been no teaching for practical classes, and even the practical classes for aesthetic subjects for the 2020 A/L exams had not yet been held.
The same situation exists in Jaffna, where only 50 per cent of students who live in the town area have followed lessons, the CTU said.
Meanwhile, the education ministry said discussions are being held with provincial governors, chief secretaries and provincial directors of education to reopen schools once principals, teachers and administrative staff are vaccinated in a programme starting next week.
Schools will be opened on a staggered basis, beginning with those having fewer than 100 students.