• CTU calls for harsher penalties 
• Strap: Calls for removal of Exams Comm. Gen. 

The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) alleged that since 2015, disciplinary action has been taken against 439 examination staff including teachers and principals for exam-related acts of misconduct while the harshest penalty thus imposed has been a lifetime ban from exam-related duties.

Over the recent past, there have been several incidents of mainstream exam question papers being leaked prior to the holding of the exams.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, CTU President Priyantha Fernando alleged that the Department of Examinations had taken disciplinary action against 439 exam staffers from 2015 to date, but that there had not been a sufficient outcome. 

“After all these disciplinary procedures, the maximum penalty that has been imposed on the individuals is a lifetime ban from exam-related duties. Some of them have been banned from engaging in exam-related duties only for two or three years. This isn't enough. There should be proper investigations and penalties,” he said. 

Commenting on the latest incident of several questions of the Grade Five Scholarship Examination question paper being leaked, he said that the department had failed to act in a trustworthy manner with regard to the matter. “The department initially stated that no questions had been leaked, next, that three questions had been leaked, and again, that only a similar number of questions had been leaked. The trust that the parents and students had in the department has now become broken. This is very harmful for the exam system in the country,” he said. 

Noting that three suspects had been arrested, and interdicted over the issue, Fernando charged that the department had not paid attention to acting on others who are linked to the incident. “There are several others who are linked to this incident. There should be action against them. But, the department doesn't take action against them in fear of the seriousness of this matter being revealed to the public. This is why we ask the Government to restructure the department. It should begin with the removal of the incumbent Commissioner General of Examinations,” he went on to say.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Education Thilaka Jayasundara was not available for comment.

Immediately after the Grade Five Scholarship Examination which was held on 15 September, it was reported that the related question paper had been shared on social media platforms in the form of a model question paper. A total of three suspects including a Director at the National Institute of Education were arrested, and subsequently placed in remand custody over the matter.