Tough decisions ahead – GL

GCE A/L exams

Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday said there were two schools of thought as regards when the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) Examination could be held.

Addressing the media following the commencement of a programme to vaccinate officers of the Examinations Department, Prof. Peiris said at least 200,000 school candidates were to sit the GCE A/L examination for the first time and about 150,000 candidates for the second time.

“Most of them who are sitting the examination for the first time have asked us to postpone it. However, those sitting the exam for the second time want us to hold it in October. We need to take a fair decision.

We will have to vaccinate officials of the Examinations Department and the Education Ministry,” the Minister said.

The Minister said that there was also an issue as regards the release of the results of the GCE O/L Examination. Around 169,000 students studied eight aesthetic subjects. The Ministry finds it difficult to hold practical tests.

“About 169,000 candidates out of the 622,000 who have studied aesthetics subjects. If practical tests can not be conducted, the question is whether we should use school assessments,” Minister Peiris said.