Plans afoot to vaccinate students sitting for GCE A/L Examination: Minister

• Discussions have already begun in that regard between the Education Ministry and the Health Ministry following the instructions of the President last week

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera

Plans are underway to provide Pfizer vaccine first to the students who are sitting for the GCE Advanced Level Examination this year, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardane told Parliament yesterday.

He said discussions have already begun in that regard between the Education Ministry and the Health Ministry following the instructions of the President last week.

Responding to a question raised by SJB MP Patali Champika Ranawaka, the Minister said the A/L students would be first provided with Pfizer vaccines.

MP Ranawaka said the Pfizer vaccine should be provided to younger children and pointed out the need to provide the vaccine to A/L students and open schools to cover their syllabus and hold the A/L examination. Meanwhile, UNP MP Ranil Wickeremesinghe said most of the A/L students were complaining that their syllabus would not be completed in time and requested the Minister to look into it and take appropriate action to provide relief to them. Minister Gunawardane said the attention of the Education Ministry was drawn to the matter and added that several rounds of discussions had been held with the Commissioner General of Examinations on the matter.

• Several rounds of discussions had been held with the Commissioner General of Examinations on the matter