• CTSU cites irregularities in A/L paper marking examiners’ payments  

The Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union (CTSU) yesterday (6) claimed that it is doubtful as to whether teachers will participate in the upcoming General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Examination (GCE O/L) paper marking process unless the Government takes steps to make payments properly for the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) Exam paper marking.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, CTSU President Mahinda Jayasinghe said that examiners who are engaging in the A/L paper making process have to face many difficulties as the Government continuously delays making payments and therefore, many teachers have informed the CTSU that they would refrain from participating in O/L exam paper marking which is to commence in the months to come. “We have noticed that this Government does not pay much attention to the issues in the education sector. They are delaying making payments to the examiners. We did not take any union actions in this regard. But the university teachers did. The only reason that prevented us from applying for paper marking is the insufficient amount of payments that was promised by the Government. However, teachers came to paper marking as they believed that this Government would make payments as they promised. But now, the Government has breached the trust,” he claimed.

He further claimed that the Government is intentionally attempting to weaken the examination system which is the backbone of the education system. He said that if the Government wanted to resume the education system which has been interrupted by many reasons for several years, they would have to deal with the teachers and students in a better way.

“Many teachers have informed us that they are not going to participate in the upcoming O/L paper marking process. If it is delayed, the students will have to wait for more than 10 months to get the results, sometimes more than a year. Then, it will take one and a half years to commence A/L classes. Because of these issues, many students have started leaving schools,” he alleged.

Jayasinghe also said that the Government is spending millions of rupees on luxuries enjoyed by politicians even though they are constantly saying that they have no money to increase the payments given for the examiners. “Recently, the Government has increased the insurance given to Parliamentarians while reducing the examiners’ payments by 50%,” he also claimed.

Several attempts to contact the Education Minister, attorney Dr. Susil Premajayantha proved futile.