A/L RESULTS BLUNDER WILL SPAWN EDUCATION ALTERNATIVES: FUTA

• 31 Dec 2011
• Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
• BY OLINDHI JAYASUNDERE

The Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) yesterday said the existing controversy over the A/L results that were released twice this week due to a technical error by the Examinations Department would compel students to find other education alternatives to replace the local Advanced Level examinations.
FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Dewasiri said this was already a growing trend among the urban middle classes who could afford alternatives to the local A/L examination such as London A/L and internationally affiliated schools that are widely available today. With the existing controversy over the blunders made by the Examinations Department the search for other alternatives will increase, he said. “The most negative impact is the credibility which has deteriorated because of this controversy. There has been a serious lack of transparency and accountability as no acceptable explanation has been given on this issue and owing to this parents may seek other options for their children which we find is already a growing trend,”

He said the A/L results would not have a direct impact on local university entrance but that if candidates did not obtain the results they expected they would blame the Examinations Department for alleged errors made by the department.
Those most affected by the controversy would be the rural and underprivileged youth as they would have less access to education alternatives and would have to bear the brunt of blunders made by Examinations Department, he said.
Commenting on the private education bill which would be introduced in Parliament next month he said greater opportunities would by made available for the urban upper middle class and the middle class but that it would limit the opportunities available fo the mass of youth in the country.

Punish those responsible for the A/L issue says JHU

• 31 Dec 2011
• Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
• BY HAFEEL FARISZ

The JHU urged the Education Minister to take action against those who were responsible for the Advanced Level results issue.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror the Deputy General Secretary of the JHU Udaya Gammanpila stated the lack of early prepa
ration on the part of the authorities resulted in the ensuing confusion.

“The new syllabus was introduced two years ago and the authorities had ample time to formulate a comprehensive ‘Z Score formula’ that was agreeable, the relevant authorities were aware of this for the past two years that this issue would crop up this year but they seem to have been negligent,” he said.
Mr. Gammanpila said the JHU was hopeful that the Minister of Education would take necessary action against the persons who were negligent.
“This issue has caused immense problems to the student community and we hope that relevant action will be taken against the perpetrators at the conclusion of the ongoing inquiry,” he said.

No revision of A/L results…

• 31 Dec 2011
• Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
• - Enid. - Bertram Shedden - Fazly Kalubowila

Will students who sat for this exam ever be satisfied unless a thorough search is done to confirm the results released are correct? A committee will detect the blunders and lay down proper guidelines for future exams only For more than a century no such thing has taken place. Our present regime makes big blunders and they are capable of playing it down. Many more wonders are awaited This is what happens when three ministers handle a subject. Now we need a committee to show the way. Will some one resign please! Please!

GCE A/L students and parents protest

• 31 Dec 2011
• Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
• BY KRISHAN JEEWAKA JAYARUK

A protest campaign was staged yesterday (30) in front of the Matara ancient Bodhi demanding the issue of correct results of the GCE A/L examination.

The protest was organised by the People’s Movement for the Protection of the Schools. They alleged that the results which had already been issued were incorrect. They also demanded the resignation of the Education Minister.
A group of students who had sat the past G.C.E A/L examination and their parents participated in this protest campaign.

PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS WANT GCE A/L RESULTS REVISED

• 31 Dec 2011
• Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
• BY OLINDHI JAYASUNDERE

No transparency in calculation method

Ten education sector trade unions including principals and teachers charged that the formula used to calculate the GCE A/L Zscore was flawed and therefore urged the government to revise the results and issue it afresh.
Education Trade Union Alliance General Secretary Wasantha Dharmasiri told a news conference that there were several errors in the way the Zscore was calculated. “There has been no explanation as to how the old and new syllabuses were combined and the way in which it was calculated,” Mr. Dharmasiri said.
He displayed a formula sheet and said the number of children who sat the examination, the marks obtained the number of exams they sat for and other details were all vital in preparing the Z score. He said there was no transparency in how the Z-score was prepared and the mistake was visible.
“Even if the Education Ministry says these results are accurate, the people do not have any confidence in them. Therefore the Examination Department has to revise the results,” he said.

The unions vowed to take countrywide trade union action against the Education Ministry’s refusal to revise the A/L results.
The unions also charged that Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena had not taken responsibility for the grave blunders in the A/L results and should resign from his portfolio immediately.
“On Thursday the minister told a news conference that the reasons for the blunders in the A/L results were because of failures on the part of teachers who had refused to set the papers and mark them if their salary demands were not met. As teachers we are the first to be enthusiastic about our students. It is wrong for the minister to make such statements,” Sri Lanka National Principals’ Union General Secretary Mohan Weerasinghe said.
The unions that participated in the news conference included Ceylon Teachers Union, Educational Professionals Union Lanka Pragathi Teachers Union, Sri Lanka Jathika Principals Union, Grade One Ranking School Principals Union and Sri Lanka National Teachers Union.

Don’t make A/L ranking mess-up a political issue – DPF

December 30, 2011, 9:10 pm

By Lal Gunesekera, The Island.

The Democratic People’s Front (DPF) does not want the GCE (Advanced Level) Examination ranking mess up turned into a political issue.

Secretary General of the DPF Dr. Kumar Guruparan said that the mess-up was a creation of Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake, who admitted that the mix-up in the rankings was due to pressure from people with ‘top connections’.

Guruparan said that it was quite unnecessary for Parliament to be summoned urgently from its recess for a debate on that issue as it would only create a ‘mountain out of a molehill’ and affect the image of the country and its education system which is held in high esteem.

Guruparan said that it was the first time such a mess-up had happened in Sri Lanka and he was optimistic that it would never occur again.

GMOA still trying to prevent Carlo being appointed head of SLMC

December 30, 2011, 9:13 pm

By Dilanthi Jayamanne, The Island.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has continuously expressed its concerns over Prof. Carlo Fonseka’s appointment as the next Chief of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC).

Addressing a Press briefing on Wednesday (27), Assistant Secretary of the GMOA Dr. Upul Gunasekera said they were hoping for a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the end of next week to discuss the issue.

He said there had been a unanimous decision by the medical fraternity to recommend the name of Professor Lalitha Mendis who has already served two terms, out of five, before tending her resignation.

However, the present chief of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA), Dr. Fonseka is another matter. He does not have registration with the SLMC, Gunasekera said stating that they were unaware if Prof. Fonseka had registered after his name had come up as the next President of the SLMC, Gunasekera said.

According to the Medical Ordinance the SLMC Chairman should have no political affiliations to be able to function independently. Prof Fonseka is a good teacher but his comments and articles in newspapers have been able to raise several eyebrows in the medical field – especially with regard to comments he has made regarding the SLMC, he alleged.

However, President of the Sri Lanka Society for Medical Laboratory Science (SLSMLS), Ravi Kumudesh, when contacted, said it would be a good move on the part of the government as Prof. Fonseka was on par with all professions in the medical field.

"We have seen that in the past the SLMC has observed double standards towards medical officers and other professions in the health field," he charged. Their only concern has been centred on medical officers and medical colleges.

Several other health professions too need to register with the SLMC, namely: Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs), pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiology technologists, occupational therapists, eye technicians and dental technicians.

But it is a noted fact that the SLMC has been responsible for awarding registration to bogus diploma holders and businessmen who want to make a few quick bucks by awarding these diplomas.

Kumudesh said the present situation had left room for nurses, MLTs and the other health professions to seek their own Councils as they have no faith in the SLMC. The Nurses have already succeeded in breaking away.

He said that Prof. Fonseka was quite capable of restoring the situation if he is appointed.

The Paramedical unions could not be contacted for comment at the time.

Presidential committee on A/L results mess up appointed

December 30, 2011, 9:18 pm , The Island.

By Nilantha Madurawala

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday appointed a five-member committee to look into the GCE (Advanced Level) results mess-up.

The committee comprises Secretary to the Ministry of Science and Technology Dhara Wijethilake, Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo Kshenika Hirimburegama,Vice Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa Prof Malik Ranasinghe, Vice Chancellor of the Uva Wellassa University Prof Premalal de Silva and Principal of the Royal College Colombo Upali Gunasekera.

The committee is expected to submit its report within 10 days to the President.

Confidence in the Sri Lanka's examinations system lost, academics voice concern

Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 09:20 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
 
Dec 29, Colombo: University lecturers in Sri Lanka say confidence in the examinations system of the country has been lost following the controversy surrounding the highly competitive GCE Advanced Level results released by the Examinations Department.
President of the Federation of University Teachers' Association (FUTA), Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri has said the government cannot dismiss the issue of releasing wrong A/Level results as a minor issue.
He has observed that it was a grave problem for the students, who have received results that are in the mid-level range.
"It is a dangerous situation if the students begin to lose confidence in the examinations system," Dewasiri has noted.
Referring to the comment, made by Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayaka that the results were released hurriedly due to the President�s intervention, Dewasiri has said it proved the inefficiency and irresponsibility of state institutions.

TNA call for debate regarding A/L results

Dailymirror

Friday, 30 December 2011 10:34 The TNA today called for an immediate parliament debate regarding the current status of the Advance Level results. Speaking to the Daily Mirror TNA MP Suresh Premachandra said that the representative have to be appraised immediately about the current situation . “The government again showed its incompetence in not being able to give in proper results to the students of this country. This isn’t the first time syllabuses have been changed but we never encountered a problem such as this. It is the lives of the Children who are the future of this country that these people are playing with” he said. He went on to point out that the injustice is equal to students of all parts of the country and that immediate remedial measure should be taken.  (H.F)