Teachers who give private tuition leak question paper, year-end term test cancelled in NCP

• CID investigations called for 

By B.G.Chaturanga and Dayaratne Embogama   

 The Sinhala Literature paper for Grade 11 students, set  for the year-end test in the North Central Province, was cancelled  and the term test suspended due to the leaking of it by private tuition  teachers.  

 Chief Secretary of the province Sirimewan Dharmasena told  the media that 22,000 students in the North Central Province Schools  were scheduled to appear for the test in Sinhala Literature but it was  cancelled on information that the question paper had been leaked out.   

 He said the question papers had been printed at a cost of  Rs.150,000. He said he received information that several tuition  teachers in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa had provided answers to the  question papers to students participating in their private classes.   

 The Chief Secretary said he made a complaint in this  regard to the police and that steps would be taken soon to set another  question paper and to conduct the test.   
 Earlier the Geography question paper in the term test for  Grade six students had been leaked out through a teacher who prepared  the question paper. The Education Department has initiated a  disciplinary inquiry against the teacher concerned.   

 Meanwhile, President of the Ceylon Teachers Union Priyantha  Fernando who expressed concern about the constant leaking of question  papers in examinations in the North Central Province said several  tuition teachers in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa had last Sunday  dictated the answers to the Sinhala Literature (Appreciation) question  paper to their students.   
 He said a conspiracy is being hatched at the political level  to sabotage the term tests and to remove several officers from their  posts and replace them with those aligned to that political group. He  pointed out that three question papers in the term test had leaked out.    

 “Steps has been taken to cancel the question paper after a  preliminary investigation held by the Director of Examinations (NCP).  The cost of printing the geography question papers for Grade six and  seven was Rs.250,000 and that of the Literature question paper was Rs.  150,000. This irregularity is due to the leniency of policy regarding  the culprits. We have requested the Provincial Director of Education to  take drastic action against those responsible for this corrupt practice but to no avail.”   

 He further said the investigations should be assigned to  the CID and deterrent punishment given to the real culprits. He pointed  out that three parties are involved in the irregularity and they are the  teachers or teacher consultants who set the question papers, the  Directors in charge of the subject, the printers and the transporters.     

 District Secretary of the Union Asela Wijesinghe said the  that preparing question papers goes by official patronage and that it led to  corrupt practices