The Ceylon Teachers’ Union has called on authorities to act over an incident in which the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination paper was handed to students late at a school in Kegalle.
Speaking at a media briefing, CTU President Priyantha Fernando said the Scholarship Examination is a significant test that can shape a child’s educational future, and that authorities should recognise the disadvantage caused to students by incidents of this kind.
He urged officials to take appropriate steps to ensure the affected students are treated fairly.
Neither the school nor the number of candidates affected has been identified publicly, and the Department of Examinations has not commented on the incident or said whether any remedy is being considered.
Held on Sunday
The examination was held on Sunday, August 9 at 2,723 centres across the island, with 294,089 candidates eligible to sit. Paper II was distributed first, from 9.30 a.m. to 10.45 a.m., followed by Paper I from 11.15 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. after a short break.
Commissioner General of Examinations Indika Kumari Liyanage has said plans are in place to release the results within a month.
The Grade 5 Scholarship Examination is the first national selection test in the Sri Lankan school system and determines admission to sought-after secondary schools, which makes procedural complaints unusually sensitive.
Union also raises A/L allowances
The CTU used the same briefing to argue that allowances paid to teachers assigned to duties for this year’s G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination are inadequate.
Fernando said the government should raise the payments to reflect the responsibilities carried by teachers on examination duty and their current costs.
The A/L examination began on Monday and runs until September 5 at 2,532 examination centres.
