Future of the student population, bleak!

– Thinakkural Editorial

(September 22, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Since the problem relating to marking of answer scripts of Sri Lankan GCE A/L exam is unresolved, it is feared that the future of the student population can be bleak. It appears that even the efforts of the Supreme Court to resolve this issue have failed.

The measures taken by the Department of Education to enlist the services of teachers, who are not adequately qualified, or who are on retirement, is unacceptable. In fact, Teachers’ Unions have charged that such measures are unjustifiable.

It is true that the future of the students, who have appeared for the exams and are awaiting results, should not be affected. It is also understandable that the Department of Education is compelled to look for options. But, such options should be meaningful and healthy.

We are aware that the GCE O/L exam is going to be held shortly, while the marking of A/L answer scripts have not been completed. As a result of the failure to resolve this issue, schools are going to face a serious problem, when they reopen for the academic year in 2009.

This problem does not affect only the Department of Education and the teachers. It is going to have a serious impact on the student population in this country.

We wish to point out that such options should not lead to another blunder. Therefore, the Department of Education must act with a sense of responsibility. Those, who hold responsible posts, must act with greater sense of responsibility!

(An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily based in Colombo.) - Sri Lanka Guardian