RI Endorses the Value of 13 Years of School Education
View(s):The opening speaker, Dr. Nirodha Bandara, Academic Director of RI and RIC focused on the importance and the expectations of ALs and reiterated that RI with over 50 years of experience and unblemished reputation in the field of education in the country strongly adheres to the vision of its Founder and Chairman Mr. G. T. Bandara, and ensures that at RI, every learner ‘learns by doing’. “You have to engage in active learning; put your knowledge to the test. When you learn by doing, you are compelled to work hard and understand the subject material; you learn by making mistakes; you reflect on where you’ve made the mistake; you start enjoying the subject.” She explained how the current trend of skipping ALs can create chaos later on in terms of student maturity to cope up with extensive undergraduate and post graduate education in world class universities. To great delight of many, she also announced that Edexcel AL study programmes will commence at two other RI branches, RI Girls’ School and RI Maharagama in September.
Endorsing Dr. Bandara’s views, Ms. Premila Paulraj further convinced the audience on how vital it is that a learner completes the AL study programme across two years and the entire 13 years of school education as recommended by any and all national and international curricula. “Your brain as well as your body need to mature, and that is why we insist on 13 years of education. Renowned universities don’t accept learners until they are 18 years of age because that is when the child is able to cope with university education. Parents are in a hurry to see their children doing their degrees at a young age, but you are not doing justice to your children.” She emphasised that 13 years of school education is prescribed and recommended globally as a learner requires the said number of years to mature physically and emotionally. The top world-class universities do not accept learners until they are 18 years of age as it is the level of maturity required to cope up with graduate studies.
Ms. Abiramy Kanesathas, Head of Examinations, explained the demanding AL subject combinations offered at RI incorporating Humanities and Social Sciences with Law, Psychology and English; the combinations are made based on current top university entry requirements. She highlighted the importance of selecting a subject combination based on the learner’s interest, choice of future career path and the entry requirements posed by the intended university. With a highly qualified academic panel, well equipped state of the art laboratories of international standards and being an independent examination centre, RI has produced outstanding Edexcel International Advanced Subsidiary Level Results in June 2022.
Six learners obtained 3 A’s while seventeen learners bagged 4 A’s. Dini Kaththriarachchi obtained 5 A’s and has been awarded a 99% scholarship by Princeton University, USA. Further, nineteen learners received full scores – 300/300 – for their relevant subjects; out of the 11 subjects offered, learners have scored full marks for 8 subjects.
In her address, Ms. Dhananja Karunasinghe, Head of Royal Institute Career Guidance Unit (RICGU), introduced the upcoming programmes organised by the unit to complement the academic qualifications earned by the learners. RICGU facilitates internships and ‘Life Skills and Personal Development Programmes’ for OL and AL learners so that every one of them will have acquired employability skills to make them best fit into their predetermined career paths. In addition, discourses and discussions with experts in diverse fields are organised for the learners and parents to gain insights in order to make well informed decisions.
The speakers also explained how ALs in school develops employability and life skills and strikes a healthy balance between academic and extracurricular activities in order to craft all-rounders who would serve the society right.
‘OL Way Forward 2023’ organised by the RICGU was indeed an eye opener to many who were seeking solid knowledge and adequate awareness on transitioning from OLs to ALs, significance of ALs and the reality behind the full 13 years of education at school. Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level offered at Royal Institute is the best next step a parent can choose for their child who takes National or International OL qualification.
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