Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam noted that the Education Ministry has not taken any decision yet to reduce the 13-year school academic period by one year. “No decision has been taken to reduce the school academic period by one year as the Ministry has taken a policy decision that the 13-year academic period is compulsory for every student,” he noted.
However, the Education Commission’s resources said that the commission is going to suggest to the Education Ministry to reduce the study period by a year.
Responding to this, Minister Kariyawasam said, a policy decision has been taken to make compulsory of having the 13-year academic period and therefore the suggestion to reduce the study period by one year won’t be implemented.
Meanwhile, there is a discussion to hold the Advanced Level and Ordinary Level examinations in December from 2019 aiming to reduce time wastage of students.
“It has been estimated that a student can save around seven months from his/her academic period by holding both examinations in December.No sooner the Ordinary Level examination is over, these students can be entered to Advanced Levels promptly without waiting till the following August. As par the current practice,students who sit the Ordinary Level Examination in December have to wait for months probably until next August for the commencement of Advanced Level classes as there are no class rooms,” an Education Ministry spokesman said.