Special arrangements to be made to hold A/Ls: Govt.

• Grade 5 scholarship exam to also go ahead as scheduled 
• CTB buses to be deployed to transport students to exam centres in and out of Gampaha

By Asiri Fernando

Advanced Level and Grade 5 Scholarship examinations will continue as scheduled, the Government said yesterday, stressing that postponing them further would have a negative impact on students.

The decision was announced at a special press conference held at the Government Information Department last afternoon.   

Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said that the decision had been taken after a stakeholder meeting held, looked at the possible options available and decided to go ahead with both exams. "In particular we took into account the psychological condition the children are in when arriving at this decision," Peiris opined. 

However, the Education Ministry stated that the decision may be reviewed later due to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 virus and its spread, adding that the Ministry was in constant consultation with the National Operations Centre for the prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPC), the Ministry of Health and the Epidemiology Unit, regarding the spread of the new cluster in the Gampaha District.  

According to Prof. Peiris, 362,000 students will sit the A/L examination starting on 12 October till 6 November. The A/L examination will be held at 2,648 centres islandwide, while the 5 Grade promotion exam will see 331,000 candidates sit for the exam at 2,936 centres. 

Prof. Peiris said that special examination centres would be established for candidates who were in quarantine centres. Secretary to the Ministry of Education Prof. Kapila Perera stated that a special security and public health regulations program would be put into effect at all examination centres. 

Special transport arrangements will be made for students in Gampaha who need to travel out of the district to sit the examinations and for students who needs to travel in to Gampaha during the examination period, Perera said. 

The Government requests all students who are planning to sit for exams next week to fill an information registration form from the ministry website and submit it as soon as possible. "The information is vital to arrange transport and to inform students in case there is a change in the status," Prof. Perera added.