Political controversy erupts over exam questions on NPP

• One question asks for the name of the manifesto of the NPP at the Presidential election
• The paper included five questions related to the electoral performance of the NPP   
• The Ministry of Education clarified that the controversial paper was prepared by the school itself

By Kelum Bandara   

Controversy surrounds the education authorities setting a mid-year test paper on General Knowledge with questions on the electoral performance of the National People’s Power (NPP) and its appointments as the governing party.   

In the question paper set for Grade 12 at C.W.W. Kannangara Maha Vidyalaya, Mathugama, five multiple-choice questions have been set. One question asks for the name of the manifesto of the NPP at the Presidential election. 
The second question asks about the percentage of votes polled by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential election. The third question asks the name of the Secretary to the President.    

In the fourth question, students are asked to select the subject area that does not fall under the purview of the Prime Minister from among five optional answers. In the fifth one, students are asked to choose the year in which the JVP, the core party of the NPP, was founded. The JVP is described as the most talked about party in recent times.   
The education authorities in the area have set such a question paper despite Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya asking for de-politicization of school education. She, as the Education Minister, even barred politicians from attending functions in schools.   
The government came under fire for setting questions in this manner by some political leaders such as Patali Champika Ranawaka and Udaya Gammanpila who described it an attempt for brainwashing children with JVP political ideology right at school level.     

Probe launched

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

The Secretary to the Ministry of Education has directed officials to conduct an immediate investigation into the second-term General Knowledge exam paper given to Grade 12 students at CWW Kannangara Central College in Mathugama.   

It was reported that one of the exam papers included five questions related to the electoral performance of the National People’s Power (NPP) and its appointments, raising concerns about the content.   

The Ministry of Education clarified that the controversial paper was prepared by the school itself, and neither the Ministry nor any affiliated organizations were involved in its preparation.   

The Ministry Secretary said that a formal investigation will be carried out at ministry level, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings.