The Grade 11 students of the North Central Province (NCP) were in great difficulty since only four questions were available in the Agriculture and Food Technology test paper given by the North Central Province Education Department for the second term. Although there were only four questions, the students were asked to answer five questions.
Usually, the students are asked to answer five out of seven questions whereas the first question must be compulsorily answered. Another four questions may be selected out of the rest six questions. Parents said that although this exam is a rehearsal for the students appearing for the upcoming GCE(Ordinary Level) examination, due to the incorrect printing of the question paper, the students were in trouble.
It was also revealed by the media yesterday that the North Central Province Grade 6 history question paper of the second term was the question paper given in the Northwestern Province in 2019.
North Central Provincial Education Director S.M.W. Samarakoon said that no cost was incurred to prepare the examination papers, and the zonal offices were handed over to prepare the examination papers for certain subjects. He said that an investigation has been started regarding the History question paper.
Ceylon Teachers’ Union President Priyantha Fernando said that the Provincial Education Department Central Province is mentioned at the top of the examination paper with the provincial flag, and therefore the responsibility should be fully taken by the Provincial Education Department.
Fernando out that the provincial department cannot get away with this fault by blaming others. He pointed out that it appeared that the second term examination had been done without any supervision and responsibility. He also said that although the level of education in other provinces of Sri Lanka is improved, education in this province has been declining for three consecutive years due to this situation.
Sashini Madhushani, Anuradhapura corr.