Examination paper evaluation payment increased

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama   

The daily payment assigned for examiners to evaluate 2022 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination scripts has been increased to Rs 2,000, the Education Ministry’s Secretary, M. Nihal Ranasinghe said.   

 He said the decision was taken after Cabinet approval. Accordingly, allowances are given to university lecturers and lecturers who participate in the evaluation of the answer scripts.   
“The evaluation of the answer scripts should be completed immediately, as the Examinations Department is lagging to hold two Ordinary Level (O/L) examinations and one A/L examination,” he said.   

Meanwhile, Examinations Commissioner-General H.J.M.C. Amith Jayasundara told the media that the payment made for examiners to evaluate answer scripts was Rs. 500 in 2019.   
“Later, the payment was increased during the COVID period, and now it is increased to Rs. 2,000 as daily payment,” he said.   

“In 2020, a Chief Examiner, who was not in a science subject was paid Rs. 62,050 for the whole evaluation process (for 12 days), but that has been increased to Rs. 101,600. Additional Chief Examiners (Senior Teachers) were paid Rs. 52,250, but it was increased to Rs. 90,270. Assistant Examiners were paid Rs. 36,725 and it is now increased to Rs. 60,475.   
“Chief Examiners for science subjects were paid Rs. 64,550 in 2020, and it is increased to Rs. 106,506. The charges for the Additional Chief Examiners have been increased to Rs. 95,946 from Rs. 59,900.   

“The allowance of an assistant examiner was Rs. 44,199, and was increased to Rs. 64,460.    “There are 1,200 University academics who engage in the answer script evaluation, and their allowances have been increased by 100%,” he said.   

The 2022 GCE A/L examinations ended on February 17.   

“The evaluation process of the answer scripts should be completed within six weeks. But the process got delayed as teachers and lecturers raised the payment issue,” he said.