Schools bar weak students to show high success rates

The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) charged that this year several students have been prevented from sitting the GCE O Level exams because of their inability to excel in the subjects taught in class rooms.

General Secretary, Joseph Stalin said that schools are preventing weak children from sitting exams in order to show good success rates.

Allowing only smart students to sit exams, the schools show a high rate of success at national exams set by the state, ensuring the school’s name and image as a high achieving school are maintained.

This year a school in the Kekirawa education zone did not admit a deaf child who was asked to apply as a private student to sit the GCE Ordinary Level exam. In another instance a school in Ibbagamuwa education zone prevented a weak student from sitting the GCE Ordinary Level exam.

The Ministry of Education ( MOE) requirement that all schools show a high success rate at national exams held by the state including the grade five scholarship exam, the GCE Ordinary Level exam and GCE Advanced Level exam has prompted teachers and principals of schools to send only smart children to sit the national examination.

‘This has been taking place over the years. We have complained to the examinations department and the ministry of education several times but no action was taken. This is in violation of the children’s rights,’ Stalin said.

Stalin demanded that the MOE hold an inquiry and take immediate action against such conduct in schools.