Circular issued making Scholarship exam non-compulsory – Akila

The Ministry of Education has issued the Circular making the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination not compulsory, Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam says.

Speaking to media, the Education Minister said he has instructed the Secretary to the ministry to void the Circular which made the Scholarship Examination compulsory to all students in Grade 5.

The minister has taken the decision considering the recommendations of the committee appointed to look into reforming the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.

The committee consists of educationalists, child psychologists, pediatric specialists and other experts.

The committee has heeded how the exam was initially introduced to grant scholarships to students from low-income families and to provide them opportunities to enter central colleges with more facilities. The exam has now become a stressful exam for admitting students for popular schools, the committee has said.

The committee has pointed out that tuition classes further depress the students and mentality for competitive examinations, hindering their socialization process.

It is reported that the he government spends over Rs 13 million for scholarships, while nearly Rs 20 million is spent on the Scholarship Examination.

(Courtesy: Ada Derana)