A mix-up at exam centre

Rasika Somarathna

Education authorities have ordered the immediate removal of an Advanced Level Examination Supervisor who was serving at an A\L Exam centre in Kotikawatte after he mistakenly gave students Part Two of the General English paper in the morning session instead of Part One.

The mix-up on Saturday saw the students sitting the exam in one of the halls being given Part Two of the paper first while students in the other halls were given the correct paper which was Part One from 8.30 am - 11.30 am.

Students were not allowed out of the hall during the one hour break between the morning and afternoon sessions and had to sit for the other part of the examination immediately.

According to Education Ministry Secretary Nimal Bandara, even after the blunder, the officials had failed to follow the established protocol of informing the Examinations Commissioner of the incident immediately.

Instead, the Supervisor had informed the incident to officials at the end of the day after giving students both the papers.

However, Bandara ruled out a leakage as the students had not been allowed to go out during the break.

He also identified the mistake as an un-pardonable blunder, as the officials had failed to adhere to the basics when conducting an exam of such magnitude.

First, they had failed to follow the general schedule and later they had also failed to read the timing of the papers, which were printed in big letters on the covering letter.

Later they had made an even bigger blunder by not informing higher authorities immediately, he added.

Bandara said action would be taken against the Supervisor and invigilators following an inquiry.