Edexcel fetes high achievers

Edexcel, UK's largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications acknowledged 76 world prize winners from Sri Lanka, making Sri Lanka one of the top global prize winners for students who sat the Primary and Lower Secondary Achievement Tests, GCE Advanced Level and International GCSE in June 2013.

Having provided Sri Lankan students with top-ranked examinations for nearly 40 years, Edexcel hosted its High Achievers' Award Ceremony for 2013 at the BMICH recently.

Sri Lankan students won 18 combination awards at the GCE Advanced Level and International GCSE examinations in 2012 and 2013.

Edexcel also felicitated 46 students who sat the Primary and Lower Secondary Achievement Tests that were conducted in schools across the island.

Thirty-five students won International GCSE grade prizes, and 30 GCE Advanced Level grade prizes.

Asian International School's Tharindu Angelo Withanage and Stafford International's Danushika Sivanathan gained five As at the GCE Advanced Levels while Colombo International School's Ahmed Imadh Bahaudeen gained the best results with 12 grades at the June 2013 International GCSE examinations.

The highest average on Primary Achievement Tests went to Dulanya Sasindi Cooray of Asian International School and the Lower Secondary Achievement to Ishira Upeshala Fernando of Gateway College.

Shamira Ghouse of Elizabeth Moir School obtained the best GCE Advanced Level results based on the highest average.

British High Commissioner John Rankin said, "Sri Lanka has excelled at the Edexcel International GCSEs and Advanced Levels and I am pleased to see how well Sri Lankan students do at UK examinations. As the British High Commissioner I value the continuing strong educational relationship between the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka."

Guest of honour, Country Director, British Council, Colombo, Keith Davies said, ''The British Council Sri Lanka is delighted to continue our strong association with Edexcel to ensure the secure administration of examinations. We will continue to support schools, teachers and candidates in preparing for the examinations, so that Edexcel qualifications continue to open doors for young people."

"We have delivered around 350,000 examinations and helped 150,000 students enhance their personal, academic and career aspirations over the last 50 years in Sri Lanka,'' he said.

Thirty-three World Prizes were awarded for the June 2013 GCE Advanced Level, including 21 students who were placed first in the world in Accounting from 14 schools across the island.

The International GCSE awarded 37 prizes in subjects including Accounting, Art and Design, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Commerce, Economics, English Language, English Literature, French, Further Mathematics, Human Biology, Physics, Religious Studies, Science, Mathematics, ICT, Psychology, History, Geography and the German, Sinhala and Tamil languages while primary students achieved the highest marks in the world for English, Mathematics and Science.

The Community Awards Scheme introduced by Edexcel to encourage schoolchildren to be more aware about helping the community they live in saw a large number of schools participating.

Bishop's College bagged the Gold award, Gateway College won the silver award and Elizabeth Moir School the Bronze award. St. Joseph's College followed in fourth place and Royal International School, Kurunegala was placed fifth.