Vanni students appearing for GCE examination uncertain

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 August 2008, 04:40 GMT]
While students across Sri Lanka will be sitting for the August GCE, Advanced Level examinations, beginning 6 August Wednesday, most students in Vanni, affected by continuous Sri Lanka Armed Forces (SLAF) offensives, cannot sit for the exam as many examination centres have been closed due to the offensives while many students are displaced, sources in Vanni said.

55 schools including those with GCE A/L classes in Vanni remain closed due to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery, Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers besides Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) air strikes on areas where the schools are located.

Candidates appearing for the exam from places including Madhu and Kanakaraayanku’lam are displaced and lodged in temporary shelters.

Examination centres in Nedungkea’ni and Kanakaraayanku’lam in Vanni have been closed due persistent SLAF aerial bombardment, according civil sources inside Vanni.

As all telephone connections to Vanni still remain suspended by the government it is not possible to get the correct statistics about the candidates and the examination centres in Vanni.

2,45,262 candidates will be sitting for the August examination in 1818 examination centres and 288 sub-centres in Sri Lanka.

Examination beginning on 6 August will end on 21 August while the second stage examination starting on 25 August will go on until 3 September.

Examination Department has decided to conduct the examination in two stages in view of the Provincial Council elections in North Central and Sabragamuwa provinces on 23 August, according to Education officials.