Z Score: Delay in implementing SC directive queried

July 6, 2012, 9:45 pm 

By Saman Indrajith, the island

The main Opposition UNP queried in Parliament yesterday as to why the government authorities concerned were delaying the implementation of the Court ruling delivered on the 25th of last month with regard to the ‘Z-score’ crisis.

UNP National List MP D. M. Swaminathan, participating in an adjournment debate, said that it had resulted in a serious crisis.

"The scheme of allocating ‘Z-score’ has loomed into a colossal national problem today. The lethargic attitude of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education is the contributory factor for this national problem relating to results of last year’s GCE Advanced Level examination. It is very unfortunate that still a concrete decision has not been taken to solve this problem."

"The Supreme Court has given a brilliant judgement with regard to the ‘Z-score’ Scheme. I take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to the Supreme Court for its superb decision in this regard."

He said: "We all know that the future of our children depends mainly on their education. We cannot allow the education to be obliterated by the lethargic attitude of a few officers. This august House has a right to probe into this.

"The Supreme Court has ruled that the ‘Z-score’ should be evaluated separately based on the results of the students who sat for the GC.E Advanced Level Examination according to the old syllabus and the new syllabus.

"The Supreme Court held that injustices had been done to students who sat the examination based on two different categories of recommendations in respect of the ‘Z-score’ scheme. While adopting the new procedure, if university admission is denied to those who are already selected to enter universities based on the earlier evaluation, such denial cannot be tolerated. I call upon this House to mete out justice to them as well.

"The concern that should be addressed here is as to how long these committees, appointed by the government, will take to come out with their decisions. I request that steps be taken to resolve this problem as soon as practicable without wasting time.

"I wish to bring to the notice of this House that the ruling of the Court relating to the ‘Z-score’ was on the 25th of last month, there has been a delay in implementing same. It is the hapless students who are aggrieved by this. I request this House not to plunge them into darkness.

"Though it is more than two weeks since the judgment was delivered the Ministry of Higher Education, Department of Examinations and the University Grants Commission are jointly and severally shirking their responsibilities putting the blame on others, wasting time delaying their actions and appointing committees etc. I request to forgive and forget the mistakes unmindful of those who are accountable for same and come forward to implement at least the judgment of Court to enliven the life of these poor students.

"Every second delayed in implementing the judgment of the Court merely because of the authoritarian tussle of the ministers and higher authorities will erode the lives of these students. I wish to stress, at this point, that any further delay in finding a solution to this problem might cause a mighty agitation to flare up," the MP said.