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The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture is investigating 82 learners suspected of cheating during their external exams in October and November this year. He declined to name the schools or regions where the learners are from but said they are from three different schools. One of the chief markers said that when the exam scripts were being marked it was observed that some students had the same answers.

Many instances were witnessed across the country, where parents arrived at schools to return free uniform material vouchers which were invalid. There were also instances where parents complained of the insufficient value attached to these vouchers, and where parents were unable to purchase quality material for a specified price. Against this backdrop, several teachers and principals’ associations staged a joint media briefing in Colombo, highlighting the fact that teachers, students and parents, have been inconvenienced by the new voucher system.

Police in Kayonza District are holding a teacher of Groupe Scolaire Kabare in Ngoma District for allegedly selling forged academic report cards to students. The teacher was arrested on Wednesday in Karambi Cell of Murundi Sector, while his accomplices are still at large.

An ITV documentary has investigated whether some schools are taking duplicitous measures to achieve top marks. The problem is said to have developed after league tables based on exam results were introduced in 1992, putting more pressure on schools to perform well. Schools can obtain more financial rewards if they feature highly in league tables, while the jobs of heads and teachers are at risk if a bad Ofsted inspection means the school goes into special measures.

As part of his duties, a clerical officer at the ministry has seen the suspension and even the dismissal of a number of teachers found to have committed wrong in their schools either by abusing their pupils or by embezzling funds. He is now under the microscope himself, accused of holding fraudulent qualifications.

Information related to students, teachers and schools will be a click away, from this academic year. The information will soon be available on a website hosted by the National Informatics Centre. The student database will help teachers and parents concentrate on learning levels. The online database will also be used to arrest the drop-out rate among students.

Between the end of year fête and the start of the summer holidays, it is traditional for teachers to receive small gifts from parents and students as a thank-you for the past year. To the delight of chocolate makers, florists and many more.