UNP rejects A/L Results Committee Report, says politicized

January 15, 2012, 9:45 pm


by Zacki Jabbar, The Island.

The UNP yesterday rejected the report of the Committee that examined the mix up in last year’s Advanced Level Examination results and countrywide rankings, alleging that there had been government interference.

Akila Viraj Kariyawasam MP, told a news conference in Colombo that that a proper re-assessment of the Z-Score was required, but the Committee which was under political pressure, had white washed the culprits in an attempt to give its members an exit mechanism.

"The Z-Scores should be assessed afresh to rectify any injustices that have occurred," he said adding that unless this was done the students who had been affected, would feel victimized and also suffer mentally.

There are many who were made to believe that they had entered university, only to be told in less than 24 hours of their being omitted from the list. Moreover, the education authorities should calculate the Z-Scores from scratch, the MP observed.

Kariyawasam had earlier written to Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne requesting him to ask the Speaker to re-summon parliament on January 14, ahead of the scheduled date of January 17, to debate the mix up in the A/L results and countrywide rankings.

Though technological issues have been blamed for the errors, it was clear that the urgency with which the results were released had led to the mess up. Since contradictory views were being expressed on a matter of utmost national importance, it was imperative that the highest legislative body in the country addressed the issue so that the mistakes could be rectified and repetitions avoided, he said.