A/L fiasco - Probe team’s mandate limited

2 January 2012 10:44 pm Views - 4694

The five-member committee appointed to look into the controversy surrounding the 2011 GCE A/L results will submit it report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa within the next ten days, an official said yesterday.

Technology and Research Ministry Secretary Dhara Wijetilaka, who heads the committee, said they would only be looking into the circumstances that led to the release of the controversial results but had no mandate to propose amendments to the Education Act of 1968 as mentioned by Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana.

“We started work soon after the committee was appointed by President Rajapaksa and we have recorded statements from several officials. We expect to submit our report in ten days,” Ms. Wijetilaka said.

The committee comprises Colombo University Vice Chancellor Shanika Hirimburegama; Moratuwa University Vice Chancellor Ananda Jayawardana; Uva University Vice Chancellor Ranjith Premalal De Silva and Colombo Royal College Principal Upuali Gunasekara.
Meanwhile, Ceylon Teachers Union President (CTU) Joseph Stalin said he had no confidence in the Wijetilaka committee as it did not have powers to make recommendations as all members are public servants.

“The committee is unable to go into the crux of the matter and find the culprits involved in the blunder nor has not been mandated to propose amendments to the Education Act though Minister Gunawardana said so,” Mr. Stalin said.

He said the CTU would file an FR petition demanding the complete revision of the GCE A/L results and for the results, the Z-score and Island and District rankings to be reissued.

The students, teachers and the people have lost confidence in the education ministry and the examinations department under Minister Gunawardana and therefore he must resign.

He said the education authorities had failed to issue the correct results even though the teachers marked the answer scripts with much care and responsibility. 

“The CTU will carry out a national campaign to educate students, teachers, parents and the people about the harm done by the minister to the education sector in the last few years,” Mr. Stalin said.

The student, parents, trade unions and the people intensified their protests over the GCE A/L results and urged Education Minister Gunawardana to resign.

The Ceylon Teachers Services Association (CTSA) said it too would file an FR petition within this week demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Z score and Island and District rankings.

“We won’t accept the Z-score, and the Island and district rankings. We advise students, parents and teachers not to accept these results and wait until we sort this out at the courts,” General Secretary of the CTSA General Secretary Mahinda Jaysinghe said and called for Minister Gunawardana’s resignation because the blunder with the GCE A/L results was the biggest setback to education in this country.

Mr. Jayasinghe said they would launch countrywide protests and awareness programmes calling for the withdrawal of the GCE A/L results and alert the people on the harm done to free education.

Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) convener Sanjeewa Bandara said his organisation would also launch a countrywide house to house campaign to alert parents and demand the resignation of Minister Gunawardana.

“We will not relax until the authorities withdraw the GCE A/L results, review it and release with correct Z-scores and rankings. We also demand the resignation of the education minister as he had harmed the free education system in the country beyond repair,” Mr. Sanjeewa said. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)