Exam candidates frown on school attendance diktat

Students, teachers, unions and principals have raised concerns about the Government decision to reimpose the compulsory 80% attendance rule after a lapse of two years.

The Ministry of Education has announced that it will reintroduce the requirement for GCE Advanced Level examination candidates.

Students sitting for the GCE A/L examination in 2022, the GCE (O/L), and the Grade five scholarship exam have to fulfil an 80% attendance requirement. This rule had been suspended in the past two years due to the coronavirus disease pandemic. But now, the Education Ministry has decided to reintroduce the requirement from next year.

There has been a significant drop in students attending school in the few months before the AL examinations. These students have serious concerns.

Student Mr Anushan said some skip school and opt for tuition, because, for some subjects, for years there were no teachers.

Most students in Government schools complain of the same predicament.

“There is no point in going to school if there are no teachers,” Mr Anushan said.

Mr Sailendra, another A/L student studying maths, suggested that the 80% attendance requirement needs to be reduced, as the last few months is when they stay home for self-study.

Students have been complaining they do not have facilities to learn.

Mahinda Jayasinghe, the general secretary of the Ceylon Teacher Service Union, said that the Government should provide facilities.

The Sunday Times learns that some schools do not have space and ask the final year A/L students to stay home so that the new batch can attend school. At times, schools allow early study leave.

The lack of food and inability to afford high transport costs are preventing 15% of students from going to school.

“Most students do not have the means to travel and buy their study materials, how can they go to school?” Mr Jayasinghe asked.

In the Kelaniya education division 25% of students do not attend school because they do not have enough to eat at home.

Mr Jayasinghe also accepts that some teachers are lazy.

He said the Government should host workshops and seminars to improve the standards of the teaching staff.

Mohan Parakrama Weerasinghe, Secretary of National Principals Union said students prefer tuition classes. He supports the decision of the ministry to re-introduce compulsory attendance. “We have done this before.’’

A principal from a leading school in Colombo says that 80% attendance requirement should not only be for A/L and Ordinary Levels, it should also be considered for the Grade 5 Scholarship.

Parents also say that attendance should be made compulsory. But some say sending their children to school is not affordable due to the soaring costs of transport and textbooks.

Generally in schools, students who do not meet the attendance requirement have to provide valid reasons to the principal and the ministry. Parents present a medical certificate for their children.