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Proposals to reduce school grades from 13 to 12

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The Ministry of Education disclosing the proposed new educational reforms stated that it is intended to reduce school grades from 13 to 12.

This was disclosed on 01.12.2023 at the time of presenting the progress of the year 2023 and plans for the year 2024 for the budget of the Ministry of Education by Dr. Susil Premajayantha for the Ministers and Members of Parliament.

Accordingly, the educational authorities stated that through the proposed new education reforms, every child will be given the opportunity to finish school in 17 years. Accordingly, pre-school education is classified as 4 years old, primary section 1-5, junior section 6-8 and senior section 9 to 12.

Simplify Grade 5 scholarship

While it has been proposed to give a certain percentage of marks from school-based evaluations and a certain percentage from exams for the Grade 5 scholarship exam, the Ministry of Education has also proposed to simplify the Grade 5 scholarship exam and eliminate competition.

O/Ls in Grade 10, A/Ls in Grade 12

Furthermore, through the proposed new education reforms, the Ministry of Education has proposed to conduct the Ordinary Level examination in Grade 10 and the Advanced Level examination is scheduled for grade 12. It has also been decided to reduce the number of subjects for O/L’s from 9 to 7. Officials representing the Ministry of Education stated that among those 7 subjects, it has been proposed to make it mandatory to study three new subjects; Information and Communication Technology (ICT), technical and professional skills and religious and values.

The officials of the Ministry of Education, who pointed out that more than eighty thousand (80,000) students fail in the ordinary level examination in a year, have suggested that no child will fail through the new education reforms and that all children who passed the ordinary level examination should be given the opportunity to study vocational training courses.

For that, A-level subjects have been classified into two categories as academic education and vocational education and a path has been prepared for every child to obtain a degree. The Ministry of Education also pointed out that two new subjects have been added under academic studies by increasing the current subjects from 6 to 8. Furthermore, the officials of the Ministry stated that the children will receive the opportunity to obtain education through 10 subject areas under practical studies and through that, the children will get the opportunity to obtain degrees by going through vocational fields.

The Ministry pointed out that administrative restructuring is also taking place in the education service. The number of existing educational zones will increase from 100 to 122 and the total number of ten thousand one hundred and twenty-six (10,126) schools will be classified as cluster schools of one thousand two hundred and twenty (1220). All the existing national schools will be a flagship school in a cluster of schools as flagship schools at the provincial level.

Officials of the Ministry said that 517.05 billion rupees have been allocated for the Ministry of Education in this year’s budget for the year 2024. Of this, two thousand million rupees have been allocated for providing school textbooks, six million rupees for school uniforms, and two thousand five hundred million rupees for providing school shoes to seven hundred twenty-eight thousand four hundred and eighty (728,480) children. About 1.07 million school children are currently being given lunch and the same number is ready to be given to 1.5 million children in the year 2024, the Ministry of Education officials said.

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Cargills Bank issues statement on cybersecurity incident

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Private bank in Sri Lanka – Cargills Bank PLC has today (April 02) released another statement, updating the situation over a recent cyber security incident. 

Cargills Bank PLC notes that despite the incident, the bank’s core operations remain fully secure and functional. 

It adds that all banking services continue to function normally, and customers may carry out their transactions with complete confidence.

Previously, the bank had stated that an unauthorized party had claimed access to some of the bank’s data and subsequently published them. 

The matter is said to be possibly the largest data breach in the country’s history.

The matter was also taken up by journalists at today’s cabinet media briefing. Responding, Cabinet spokesman – Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that although the issue wasn’t taken up by the Cabinet Ministers yesterday, he believed that it may have been addressed by the Security Council.

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23 supermarket outlets raided 

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The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has raided 23 supermarket outlets yesterday (April 01) as a part of their special raid and investigation program ahead of the upcoming festive season.

16 such outlets include prominent supermarket chains such as Cargills, Arpico and Keells, reports say,

‘Sri Lanka Mirror’ learns that these outlets face charges such as selling expired goods, not displaying prices, selling overpriced goods and misleading consumers and that the CAA is seeking legal action against these errant outlets.

According to a media release by the CAA, legal action has been taken against 172 supermarket outlets during the past year, resulting in courts ordering the culprits to pay Rs. Rs. 6.5 million in fines.

The CAA also urges the public to exercise caution and check details including the expiry date, when purchasing goods from supermarkets.

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Special traffic plan due to Indian PM Modi’s visit

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Sri Lanka Police has announced that a special traffic plan will be implemented in Colombo and several other areas due to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka later this week.

Under this special traffic plan, the Katunayake Expressway and Baseline Road will face several closures from 6.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. on April 04.

The police urges those heading towards the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake during this period to consider the road closures and plan ahead with regard to their travel plans.

On April 05, roads near the Galle Face Green and Independence Square in Colombo as well as the ‘Ape Gama’ premises in Battaramulla will also will face several closures.

Urging motorists use alternative routes, the police request the public for their kind cooperation in order to implement this special traffic plan. 

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