“Live Skills” is a new subject for G.C.E.(O/L) from this year.

A new subject titled “Live Skills” has been added to the G.C.E.(Ordinary  Level) syllabus from this year. This measure would allow students intending to pursue studies in the Arts stream in the Advanced Level to select agriculture, technology or entrepreneurship as a subject of “Live Skills”.

Minister of Education  Mr. Bandula Gunawardena has said  that students who leave schools  due to failure at the GCE ordinary level examination will hereafter be given a certificate of skills  in place of the school leaving certificate.  He has said that Ministries of Education, Youth Affairs and Skills Development and Higher Education have taken the collective responsibility of making decisions regarding the future of school children.  The Minister has disclosed these details in an interview with the SLBC yesterday.

The Minister has further said that a pass in the subject of mathematics in the O/L will hereafter be not mandatory.  He has said that plans are also underway to set up 1000 secondary schools throughout the island in the next five years, and identification of schools for this purpose is being carried out. 

Referring to school admissions Mr. Gunawardene has said that the Education Ministry hereafter will not mediate in the process of admitting children to schools, and this responsibility is now vested with the Zonal Directors of Education.