Feb 01, Colombo: The Ministry of Education states that the admission of students to schools based on the results of the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination 2020 has been postponed by one month.

Prof. Kapila Perera, Secretary to the Ministry of Education said the decision to postpone the admission of students was taken considering the request of the parents to lower the cut-off marks and the possibility to reduce district cut-off marks will be explored.

Secretary of Education today (01) briefed the media on the complaints made by parents and teachers' unions to the Presidential Secretariat regarding the high district cut-off marks for granting schools based on the results of the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination held in the year 2020.

The Secretary said no change has been made this year in the number of students admitted to schools based on the results of the Grade 5 Scholarship examination from previous years. However, there is a large number of students who met the criteria this year while the space in national schools is limited.

He said one month time is requested to explore the possibility whether there is space to admit more students to the 373 national schools by lowering the cut-off marks by one or two points as parents have requested. If more students were admitted this year, the Education Ministry may be compelled not to give admissions to grade seven students, the Education Secretary explained.

Prof. Kapila Perera said the attention has been focused on increasing the number of students admitted to schools through the Scholarship Examination.

Meanwhile, a protest was held today (01) in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station demanding the government to immediately reduce the cut off marks for school admissions from the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination and to do justice to the children.

The National Movement for the Protection of Schools and many parents of children who have excelled in the Year 5 Scholarship Examination but have not been given admission to a leading school were present at the protest.

They demanded the authorities to consider appropriate cut-off marks without confusing the minds of children and give admission to schools in major cities, including the capital where the student had high hopes to get into.