Tuition classes to accommodate 500 students in two-time slots, adhering to health regulations

According to the President's Media Division, the teachers pointed out the difficultly of limiting the number of students to 250 where the average attendance is more than 1000.

The decision was made at a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (29) to find solutions to issues faced by both students and teachers with the recommencing of tuition classes which had to be halted due to COVID – 19 pandemic.

The representatives of All Island Professional Educators’ Association pointed out students in A/L and O/L classes as well as students sitting for the Grade 5 Scholarship exam lost the opportunity to pursue their studies for more than 5 months in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a post on the President's Official Facebook page, President Rajapaksa instructed the Minister of Education to re-consider exam dates after a thorough consultation with teachers, students, and parents.

President Rajapaksa had advised the Commissioner of Examinations to increase the number of questions under a particular paper enabling students to have multiple choices.

The Head of State had also agreed to consider a request made by the tuition teachers to amend the current Educational Service Tax of 24%.

The request for the distribution of leaflets to promote tuition classes adhering to health guidelines was also approved by the President.

The President's attention was drawn to the proposal by the Buddhist Advisory Council not to have tuition classes on Sunday mornings and on Full Moon Poya days and the teachers had expressed their fullest consent to refrain from having tuition classes on Poya Days, said the statement.

It was also decided to review the possibility of canceling the holding of tuition classes on Sunday mornings which are limited for the GCE Advanced Level students.