The Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha
The Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha said that from next year several major changes in the present education system are scheduled to be implemented, under this it is expected to simplify the grade 5 scholarship examination to be easier than the current situation and the priority will be given to evaluate the literal skill and the numerical skill of the students.
The minister expressed these ideas while participating in the function held at the premises of The Ministry of Education for the purpose of appreciating the students who scored the highest marks at the general certificate of education ordinary level examination held in the year 2022 and the grade five scholarship examination held in the year 2023.
While further expressing his views at this occasion the minister said that the students will not be assessed only upon the marks scored hundred out of hundred in the examinations in the future. The minister pointed out that in addition to the marks scored by the students at the grade five scholarship examination they must acquire 30% of the marks from the assessments made in grades 4 and 5 at classroom level and for this purpose the students must maintain their school attendance continuously. Some parents may criticize this method complaining that the teachers act in favorable manner for some of the students in this respect but there is no room for such situation and first of all a confidence on teachers must be developed among the parents and students, the minister emphasized.
The minister also pointed out that the way of assessing the students within the classrooms will be supervised by the school boards, even in Finland which is considered as having a best system of education, only the classroom level assessments are used until grade 9 in the schools and the students are tested through examinations from grade 9 onwards in that country, the minister said. 20 students who scored the highest marks in the island at the general certificate of education ordinary level examination held in the year 2022 and the students who scored the highest marks at grade five scholarship examination held in the year 2023 were appreciated at this occasion. The Abans institution provided the sponsorship for presenting laptops and tabs to these successful students.
