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Schools won’t reopen on April 20: Minister

10 Apr 2020 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      

By Sandun A Jayasekera 

Education Minister Dulles Alahapperuma hinted yesterday that schools are not likely to re-open on April 20 as planned under the prevailing situation worsened by the COVID 19 viral infections. 

Minister Alahapperuma expressed hope that at least another two weeks beyond April 20 was needed to keep 4.3 million students and 240,000 teachers at home to save them from the dreaded disease.  Addressing the media at the Education Ministry yesterday, Minister Alahapperuma said he was happy that the Education Ministry was able to prevent a single school student falling victim to the viral infection by declaring an early school vacation. 
“However, we will not delay any examination held by the Examination Department because of the vacation. For instance, the GCE A/L examination will be held in August this year as scheduled and GCE O/L in December. 
If teachers are not able to complete the syllabuses, the question papers will be prepared leaving out the missed lessons,” Minister Alahapperuma stressed. 


He said the government has shown great character and resolve by taking necessary steps at the right time to save the country from the COVID-19 pandemic.


In Italy, the government closed schools after 1,000 Covid-19 deaths, Austria after 1,500 deaths, Sweden only last week and the situation is the same in Vietnam or Korea. But I am extremely glad that we have been able to save all our students and teaches from infection, Minister Alahapperuma noted.