By Shamindra Ferdinando

Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (6) paid a glowing tribute to all those who had made it possible for the successful conclusion of the GCE Advanced Level examination under extremely difficult conditions due to the unexpected eruption of corona second wave.

Minister Peiris said that the conducting of the examination was a real challenge as the situation gradually deteriorated with the government compelled to bring the entire Western Province under quarantine curfew.

Western Province comprising administrative districts of Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara was brought under quarantine curfew at midnight on Oct 29.

Responding to The Island queries, Prof. Peiris said that putting off the examination for the second time could have caused major issues. The examination was to be held in August.

The Education Minister said the media coverage during the examination highlighted the fact that the parents of those who sat the examination threw their weight behind the government decision. At one point some interested parties threatened to sabotage the examination over some shortcomings. But, overall everybody supported, the Minister said, adding that all those who contributed to the successful effort could quite rightly be proud of the achievement.

Recalling the difficulties experienced in holding the Year Five Scholarship examination on Oct 11 before the commencement of the Advance Level examination on the following day, Prof. Peiris said on the first day three candidates under quarantine sat the examination. As the epidemic spread, many more were categorized and had to be brought under a special system in place for them to sit the examination, the minister said.

Prof. Peiris said that by the time the examination concluded yesterday, altogether 568 sat the examination while being under quarantine. According to statistics provided by the Media Unit of the Education Ministry, 27 sat for the examination at the Angoda Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), one at the hospital at the Panagoda Army cantonment and one at the Mulleriyawa hospital. In addition to them, 12 special centres accommodated students from Minuwangoda, Gampaha, Ja-ela, Seeduwa and Ekala. A total of 362,824 sat the examination.

Prof. Peiris said that government servants went out of their way to make it possible. “We arranged special transport with the support of the SLTB and the Railways Department whereas the staff played a crucial role,” the minister said.

Prof. Peiris said that they faced the daunting task of preventing an outbreak in any of the 2,648 examination centers. “We were concerned about the countrywide situation though curfews were declared in the Western Province and several other police areas in the provinces,” the minister said.

On the last day of the examination nearly 35,000 candidates sat the final paper.