Grade 11 classes to resume countrywide later this month barring areas under lockdown

Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris addressing the media in Colombo yesterday announced that Grade 11 classes in all schools in the Western Province other than those in areas under lockdown would re-open on January 25.

He said in other provinces, all classes, including the primary would be reopened on January 11.

The decision to conduct Grade 11 classes in all provinces had been taken in view of the GCE Ordinary Level examination scheduled to be held in March as the syllabuses had to be covered, Prof. Peiris said.

The Minister said that textbooks for students from Grade one to Grade 11 had already been distributed to all schools and they could also be downloaded from the Educational Publications Department website.

He said the results of the GCE Advanced Level examination held in last October would be released by end March or the first week of April and those who pass the examination would be admitted to universities soon.

“Similarly, arrangements will be made to release the results of the GCE O/L examination scheduled for last December and postponed for next March as soon as possible,” he said.

The Education Minister said it was a huge challenge before the government to reopen the schools in the face of the surging pandemic. A set of guidelines had been issued on how the principals, teachers, students and parents should act and information about them been publicised on the Education Department website: www.moe.govt.lk and the media, Prof. Peiris said.