• Blames Govt. for delaying ending the stressful exam in 2029, argues they postpone previous timeline

In the wake of the Government announcing that a final decision on scrapping the Grade Five Scholarship Exam will only be made in 2029, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) stated that that’s far too late.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, CTU President Priyantha Fernando said that the exam, which he said puts immense pressure on young children, has been debated for years and any move to replace it should not be dragged out further.

“This kind of highly competitive exam is not healthy or sustainable for children. It’s been talked about a lot in the past. Even the previous Governments admitted that and proposed an alternative under education reforms in 2023. But now this Government has only postponed it.” Fernando said.

He further said that the original purpose of the scholarship exam was to help students from rural areas gain entry into well-known schools, not to support their overall educational growth. He added:“This isn’t a system created for the educational development of children. It was designed as a way to enter a popular school. So, delaying a decision until 2029 is not good at all."

Earlier this week, the Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Madhura Senevirathne said that a final call on whether or not to continue the Grade Five Scholarship Exam would be taken in 2029, after a committee appointed to study the issue hands in its report and suggestions to reduce student stress.