Sri Lanka Education Ministry to enhance English language skills of university entrants

Sri Lanka Ministry of Higher Education has decided to subject the undergraduates selected from the 2010 GCE Advanced Level examination results to enter the universities to follow three special training courses in English, computer, and human skills development.

Before the courses are commenced a grading test will be held to assess the level of the students' English language knowledge.

The Ministry announces that sitting for the General English paper will be made compulsory from this year for the Advanced Level students to qualify for the university entrance. However, the Ministry has not made a pass essential yet.

The Ministry requests the students of the remote schools who do not have English teachers of to indicate that on the test paper. This move is taken to prevent some students skipping the examination since a pass is not compulsory.

The Ministry has focused on the dearth of English teachers in the country's schools and taken measures to launch a special programme to train more English teachers.

The Sri Lankan government plans to increase English language skills among the school students as an effort to promote better communication among different ethnic groups and to stay at the front of rapidly advancing technology.