Govt. has decided to abolish Grade 5 Scholarship Examination: President

President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday said the Government has decided to abolish the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, following a proposal submitted by him.

He said that this decision was taken paying attention to the undue pressure faced by the students due to the Scholarship Examination.

President Sirisena made these remarks participating in a ceremony to vest the newly built ‘Maithri Shilpa Kala Mandapaya’ at the Polonnaruwa Royal College, with the students, President Media said. 

Even though the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination was initiated with the aim of providing an opportunity for the underprivileged students to receive education in a school with resources, and to pay an allowance for them to in this regard, at present it has become a competition to gain entrance to a popular school.

President Sirisena also said that statistics has shown that a large number of students who gain entrance to university education have not passed the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.

The President further pointed out that it should create a competition to enter into popular schools, but all the schools in the country must be developed and ensure quality education by providing the required resources. He stressed that the responsibility in this regard lies with the people’s representatives, including the Ministers and MPs.

The ‘Maithri Shilpa Kala Mandapaya’ comprised of 5000 seats, built at a cost of Rs. 140 million under the “Pibidemu Polonnaruwa” District Development program.

President Sirisena said that as a past pupil of the school, he has completed all the duties that he should fulfil, and the responsibility of the present generation is to properly manage and maintain those resources.

Central Province Governor Sarath Ekanayake, MP Mohan Lal Grero, Polonnaruwa Mayor Chanaka Sidath Ranasinghe, Polonnaruwa District Secretary, the Principal and staff of the school, parents, past pupils and others participated on this occasion.