“The steps will be taken in the future to finalize all conducting affairs of the Ordinary Level Examination within the month of December – Action will be taken to increase the allowance for scripts marking examiners also” – The Minister of Education AkilaVirajKariyawasam
The Minister of Education AkilaVirajKariyawasam says that the decision taken to direct the school children to use the free school textbooks given to them by the government at least for a period of two years is a decision taken in good faith. The minister stated this when he participated today (11) in the national function of textbooks distribution held at D.S. Senanayaka College, Colombo.
The minister explained that he vehemently rejects the narrow political allegations leveled by various sections saying that the Ministry of Education is taking actions not to give textbooks but to sell them to the students there by diminishing the free education. This decision was taken with the aim of financial management to minimize the large expenditure caused for printing textbooks using tax money of the people and to use that money for other activities and also with the aim of expressing the value of textbooks to the students, the minister said.
The minister also mentioned at this occasion that it is the duty and the responsibility of the students to look after the textbooks given by the government to be able to use them in one more year. The minister also revealed that the information has been received about many students as well as the parents have bought new textbooks from the book shop at the Ministry of Education because they do not like to reuse the textbooks used for one year. Taking the advantage of this situation, various sections alleged saying that the government is taking steps to sell the textbooks and diminish the free education, The Minister of Education AkilaVirajKariyawasam explained.
The minister further stated that it has been decide to finalize the Ordinary Level examination activities within the month of December in the future in order to prevent the obstructions caused to the education activities in the New Year by the Ordinary Level examination activities and also to minimize the time spent for Ordinary Level examination. The minister also stated at this occasion that he has given instructions to the relevant officers to increase the allowance paid to scripts marking examiners and to decide to limit the number of scripts that should be marked by examiners within one day with the aim of preventing any disadvantage that would happen to the students in the process of scripts marking.
The officers including the Secretary of the Ministry of Education Sunil Hettiarachchi, the Commissioner General of Education Publications Mr. I.M.K.B. Illangasingha and the Commissioner General of Examinations Mr. SanathPujitha, several teachers and students representing some schools had joined in this function.
