Opposition MP Dilith Jayaweera has called on the government to reconsider its decision to hold the 2026 G.C.E. Advanced Level examination in August, arguing that the schedule will leave students short of preparation time.
In a statement issued on Friday, Jayaweera said A/L candidates normally have around 26 months to complete their syllabus, but the August timetable would cut that period by about six months. He said the current cohort had also faced sustained classroom disruption from the recent adverse weather associated with Cyclone Ditwah, and accused Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and the government of showing “a lack of sensitivity” towards the candidates sitting the paper this year, Newswire reported.
The MP urged the government to withdraw what he called an unfair decision and to give students adequate time and support, calling the A/L “a crucial stage in their academic lives.”
The Department of Examinations published the 2026 timetable on June 8, confirming the examination will run over 22 days between August 10 and September 5, in morning and afternoon sessions. The cohort follows the 2025 A/L group, of whom 62.64% qualified for university entrance.
Jayaweera’s intervention is the first opposition pushback on the timetable. Prime Minister Amarasuriya, who holds the Education portfolio, has previously reported on Cyclone Ditwah’s impact on schools and the plantation sector but has not publicly responded to the calls to defer the August schedule.
Update — June 15: Gammanpila threatens FR petitions, cites 2022 precedent
Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila on Monday escalated the opposition pushback, warning that the government must postpone the examination or face legal challenges. At a media briefing, Gammanpila said repeat candidates will have only about 133 days to prepare after their previous results were released on March 31, against 178–198 days in past years; first-time candidates would have around 21 months of study time versus the usual 27–32 months, he claimed. Affected students could file Fundamental Rights petitions in the Supreme Court or seek relief through the Court of Appeal on the constitutional principle of equality, he said, recalling that the 2022 A/L examination was ultimately postponed after similar concerns were raised. He urged the Education Ministry to reconsider the schedule and ensure fairness to students.
