21 March 2022 08:27 am Views - 174
By Sandun A. Jayasekera
Mass Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma made a fervent appeal to parents, teachers and the media not to glorify students unnecessary who passed examinations with higher grades as it will discourage other students, giving them huge mental stress.
Giving huge publicity by the media to students who get top marks at Grade V, GCE (O/L) and (A/L) examinations has created a string of social, mental and educational problems, he told the media at a news briefing held at the Information Department.
For instance, the lowest cut-off marks in this year’s Grade V examination is 142 in the District of Vavuniya while the highest is 152 in other Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kandy, Matara, Galle, Kurunegala, Matale, Kegalle, Nuwara – Eliya and Kalutara.
“Now, in any of these Districts, a student obtains 150 by scoring 75 marks each for both papers but still fails to get through the test. Can anyone claim that he or she is a weak student for the student’s failure to get through the Grade V exam under this calculation? If a student scores 75 for a question paper on any subject at the GCE (A/L) or O/L exams, that student will get the highest grade of an ‘A’ pass. Therefore, the educationists, policymakers and the Examinations Department must have a closer look at the merit list they prepare after major exams,” Minister Alahapperuma, who once served as the Minister of Education, stressed.
However, students who excel in examinations, sports and other extracurricular activities must be recognised, appreciated and rewarded. But it has to do in a way not to discourage or give mental pain to other students and their parents, Minister Alahapperuma emphasised.
It is natural that students, as well as parents, get highly disappointed, distressed and dejected when students fail in examinations. That is why we all must behave responsibly and not make life a misery for students who are not successful in the examination.
‘They must be motivated to face the examination next time with courage and more prepared,” Minister Alahapperuma said.
He paid tribute to student, Tamil Chelvam Gajalakshan of Kokuvil Hindu Primary of Jaffna who has scored the highest marks of 198 at this year’s Grade V examination and added his achievement was of special significance as he comes from a school in the North with lesser facilities.