Reopen schools prioritising A/Level and O/Level students – Patali
Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarian Patali Champika Ranawaka says the government must take action to reopen schools prioritising Ordinary and Advanced Level students.
Addressing a media briefing yesterday, MP Ranawaka said opening schools with less than 100 students under the first phase as planned by the government is not an acceptable solution.
He said the Ministry of Education has thus far failed to announce a definitive decision on the date of the 2021 GCE Advanced Level examination, indicating the government’s incapabilities.
MP Ranawaka said while the A/Level Exam was planned for the month of August and later postponed to October and November, a definitive decision on the date has not been reached.
He stated schools with less than 100 students are schools with classes only up to Grade 5.
Therefore, the MP called for the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to students in order to resume schools prioritising students sitting examinations.
He also claimed the inability to hold the A/Level Exam within a bio-bubble cannot be accepted, at a time that tourist groups are being entertained in bio-bubbles.
MP Ranawaka added the university system should also resume promptly by administering COVID-19 vaccines to students.
He accused the government of failing to resume academic activities in fear of student protests.
MP Ranawaka said if the government boasts of the ability to inoculate thousands within a day, the vaccination of university students should not be a difficult task.
He therefore called for university students to be vaccinated beginning from the 1st of October.
The Parliamentarian stated students who are able and have the means are studying at foreign universities while other students remain dependent on the local university system.
(Source: News Radio)
Social distancing is one of the key elements in controlling the delta variant virus spread, and the question is whether the public transport is geared to cope-up with the students load ? Substantial number of death is occurring among fully vaccinated persons also , and students would be at risk of infection / death , leave alone as the carriers to the elderly at their homes. So, some sort of ‘hybrid’ systems to be worked out , such as- class room with on-line ( Internet), distant ( Tv /Radio), etc are the safe and practical solutions for the current pandemic situation. Under the circumstances, the opposition demand for immediate opening of schools at full scale and snap general elections are not genuine and possibley have a different agenda for coming to power.