The 2023 G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination commenced yesterday (after a delay of five long months) with 452,979 candidates expected to sit for the exam. These schoolchildren are facing the second major Government Examination in their lives after the Year Five Scholarship Examination.
On May 29th last year Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena instructed the Commissioner of the Anuradhapura Municipal Council to immediately postpone the ‘Purawara Udanaya’ carnival, which had been scheduled during the GCE Ordinary Level Examination period.
The carnival was scheduled to be held at the Walisinghe Harischandra grounds from 4 to 11 June last year, inconveniencing students sitting the on-going O/L examination. Before the PM intervened, parents and students expressed their agitation over the carnival being held during the exam period. They alleged it could hamper the studies of students sitting the exam.
The PM advised then Acting Governor of North Central Province Lalith U. Gamage to create a suitable environment for students to continue their studies. Premier Gunawardena also informed that all such carnivals islandwide should be deferred forthwith till the completion of the O/L exam.
This was only one major incident that took place in Sri Lanka last year. Many similar incidents took place all over the country last year and all previous years without catching the attention of the media. Therefore those ugly incidents were not reported in any local media. Such incidents still take place islandwide without any problem.
It is pathetic to see how some people who do not have children sitting for various major Government Examinations such as Year Five Scholarship Examination, G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination, G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination etc behave during examination periods. The most pathetic situation is the behaviour of decision makers attached to State bodies which give permission to hold various late night musical shows, carnivals which take place for days and weeks and festivals where a large number of people gather at one specific place and make noise. Powerful sound systems are also used at these events.
It seems they cannot wait even a few days until schoolchildren finish their examination. The longest examination is the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination which lasts a month and just waiting for one month to hold a musical show or a carnival is not something that is impossible to do.
Unfortunately, almost all decision-makers attached to various state bodies such as Divisional Secretariats, Police Stations, District Secretariats etc are not paying any attention at all towards the well-being of schoolchildren who sit for key Government Examinations. They just give permission to hold any noisy event at any place adjoining the examination centres or close to examination centres.
Actually these decision-makers should ban all public events that gather people at one place for a day or longer during Government Examination periods. This is not a big deal because the majority of these events are being organised in order to provide entertainment for the people and all the others are various trade fares organised to make profits.
It is more practical if the Government can impose this ban islandwide during these specific examination periods because then no one will be able to grant permission to anyone to hold musical shows, carnivals or trade fairs. The question of whether to grant permission or not does not arise when there is an islandwide ban by the Government.
It is not surprising that some Sri Lankans are ignorant and do not care at all about the well-being of schoolchildren because they have become extremely selfish and money-oriented. Social ethics are degrading gradually and speedily. This is the impact of social change that is not reversible. The only solution for the issue is imposing strict rules and regulations without treating anyone as `special’ and without granting permission to VIPs who can apparently obtain permission to do anything at any time. Otherwise the ban will not be effective and schoolchildren from some areas of the country will be protected while schoolchildren in some other areas will suffer.
The other crucial issue that needs to be pointed out is the launching of strikes by various state institutions, especially public transport services, health services etc. which have a direct impact on schoolchildren during examination periods. It is good if public servants attached to public transport services and health staff members in all categories refrain from commencing strikes during this time period which ends on May 15 (in just two weeks). Health staff members also need to do the same because a poor sick child cannot write answers for question papers without medical treatment and a poor child with sick parents who do not get medical treatment cannot answer question papers properly due to his/her disturbed mentality.
Even simple things matter at examination time – a notice is often displayed outside examination centres, advising passersby to maintain silence. Yet, this is observed more in the breach as motorists and private bus drivers honk horns, Chuun Paan sellers play Beethoven’s Fur Elise loudly and lottery sellers urge buyers to try their luck, amidst the din of their radio at full blast. There are moments in life when silence is golden and exams fit the bill perfectly.
