O/L exams may be postponed to March 2021: Education Minister

Friday, 4 December 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Asiri Fernando

The Government may postpone the General Certificate of Education (G.C.E) Ordinary Level examination to March 2021, with the results expected within three months, Education Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris said yesterday.

“With the results expected in June 2021, qualified students can begin attending G.C.E. Advanced Level classes by July,” Prof. Peiris told journalists at a briefing yesterday on the status of the Ordinary Level examination, which was attended by Cabinet Spokesman Kehiliya Rambukwella and senior officials from the Education and Health Ministries.

In that context he pointed out that students would not face any delays in their scheduled education.

According to the Education Ministry 621,000 students are eligible to sit the Ordinary Level exams this year. The Ordinary Level examination was originally planned to be held on 1 December, but it was later postponed to be held from7 to 28 January 2021.

However, Prof. Peiris stated that it was no longer possible to hold the exam during the month of January in light of the prevailing COVID-19 outbreak and in order to be fair to a large segment of candidates who had not been able to attended school in the last few months.

Prof. Peiris stated that the exact date and plan for the exams would be decided in consultation with education, administration and health experts.

"Holding the exams in January will not be fair by the students, so the rescheduling of the exam is essential." Prof. Peiris explained.

He said that only 5,100 of the total 10,165 schools were functioning during the last few months due to the COVID-19 outbreak and related health regulations.

"Further, 24,600 students are registered to sit the exam in 154 examination centres with the Colombo District. With the resurgence of COVID-19 in Colombo, we cannot hold the exam in Colombo as the environment is not safe for the students," Prof. Peiris added.

He pointed out that due to the closure of schools, nearly half of the Ordinary Level exam candidates had not been able to adequately prepare for the exam.