A/L results controversy continues

Dailymirror Bringing the controversial 2011 GCE Advanced Level results to further chaos the Examination Department has released the results of the Russian Language paper on Monday without district and island rankings. Asked about the discrepancy by the Daily Mirror, Commissioner, School Exam Organisation, of the Examinations Department, H.J.M.C.A Jayasundara said if the rankings of 36 students were released with the results, the entire rankings would have to be changed and results re-assessed with the Z-score. “Despite the release of the Russian language results which was not finalised until Monday, being released without rankings and the GCE Advanced Level results earlier released with Island and District rankings the results may remain the same,” Mr. Jayasundara said. Meanwhile, Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin criticising the act said the release of incomplete results vindicate their stand that the entire results of the August GCE Advanced Level results were full of errors and the Dhara Wijetilaka committee was an eyewash. He contended that failure to mention the rankings of these students may affect the district and island rankings of all students who sat the exam in the arts stream. “This is an extremely unjust act on students and the violation of their fundamental rights. The release of Russian language results without rankings will further mess up the GCE Advanced Level exam results and prove what we said from the beginning that the results have to be withdrawn, fully re-assessed and re-released . The turn of events also indicate the uselessness of the so called Wijetilaka committee that boasted of recommending proposals for all ills of the Advanced Level imbroglio. The committee and its recommendations was simply a sham,” Mr. Stalin charged. He added that this was the first time the examination departmen t issued the results of an examination three times from December 25, 27 and January 16, which was another record under Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana. Mr. Stalin pointed out that a student at the Alawwa Rahula College who offered Russian language as a subject at the Advanced Level exam in August has obtained an A pass for the subject. Since the student had obtained two A passes for the other two subjects as well a question has arisen in the Kurunegala District rankings. Meanwhile, the Presidential media Unit today announced that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the Education and Higher Education Ministries, the UGC and the Examinations Department to implement the recommendations of the Dhara Wijetilaka committee recommendations immediately. (Sandun A. Jayasekara)