Authorities prepare to conduct GCE O/L exams amidst possible disruptions
View(s):The Examinations Department, together with the Disaster Management Centre, are preparing to conduct GCE Ordinary Level examinations during a period prone to natural disasters, including the onset of the South-West monsoon and fast-spreading Dengue fever.
The O/L examination 2022 (2023) will be held from May 29 to June 8, with 492,553 students sitting for the exams in 3,568 centres island-wide.
“A coordinated preparedness and response mechanism is in place, including the recommissioning of the National Examination Emergencies Operations Unit and the District Examination Emergencies Coordination Office,” Director-General of the Disaster Management Centre said.
A set of guidelines have been prepared on ensuring the smooth conducting of O/L examinations. “May and June are months which fall under the South-West monsoon. Adverse weather is expected to coincide with examination dates,” the Metrology Department forecasted in the guidelines.
Floods, landslides, strong winds are among possible disasters during this heavy rain period in areas where the highest number of students will sit for the examination.
A 24-hour Examination Emergency Coordinating Office will be in operation from May 29 to June 8 with a hotline – 1191 – introduced for students in distress.
“Colombo, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Kegalle, Gampaha, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Galle, Matara, Mannar and Hambantota Districts will have to be given the highest priority in taking preparatory measures for any kind of flood threats,” the Irrigation Department advised in its guidelines.
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has requested education authorities and school principals to not use buildings identified as high risk for cutting failures or rock falls.
“Maintain vigilance on access roads to schools in landslide high-risk areas, and if ‘red’ warning is issued do not use the schools identified as high-risk for exam duties,” the NBRO said.
The National Dengue Control Unit too requested local public health inspectors and schools authorities to conduct cleaning programmes and mosquito breeding prevention programmes prior to the examination and for parents to take preventive measures such applying mosquito repellents on their children, especially if there are Dengue fever cases in the area or among school students.
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