A/L exam results issue, a political gimmick - Minister

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardane said there is a clear political motive behind the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination issue and the ongoing crisis in some universities.

Even before the 2011 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination was conducted, the Ceylon Teachers Union and some other trade unions affiliated to the education sector laid the groundwork to create this issue mid last year, the Minister told the Sunday Observer. The intention of the Teachers Union was to prevent the conduct of Advanced Level Examination and boycott paper marking.

Through resorting to such action they attempted to shatter the future of nearly 300,000 students who were preparing to sit for the 2011 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination.

These Teachers Unions can't deny this, he said.

The Minister said those who attempted to boycott paper marking of the 2011 Advanced Level Examination have come forward today to speak about the Advanced Level Examination results.

This clearly indicate that they resort to these activities without any assessment on the value of the lives of the children.

Minister Gunawardane said pro-LTTE diaspora operating at international level attempt to turn this country into a pool of blood once again without allowing people to enjoy the peace dividends.

Therefore, the pro-LTTE diaspora need the help of somebody here to rouse feelings among people.

They want to take the students out of their schools and universities,workers out of their factories and farmers out of their farms.

However, violence has been experienced by people over the past three decades.

Therefore the parents are well aware of this situation.

That is why these elements have not been able to take the students out of their schools and universities as they did in the past.

But it seems that these elements have not yet given up their vicious attempt, the Minister said.