Dispute over dress code leads to closure of A/L evaluation centre

The evaluation center for the 2024 G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) examination, located at Dharmapala Vidyalaya in Pannipitiya, has been temporarily closed due to a dispute between the school principal and female teachers marking the examination papers.

The disagreement, which occurred on Wednesday (January 15), was over the teachers’ attire. The school’s female principal reportedly refused to allow the teachers to enter the premises because they wore gowns instead of the saris she considered appropriate for a school setting.

However, the teachers argued that the evaluation center operates under the authority of the Commissioner General of Examinations and that the principal had no control over their dress code.

Despite the teachers’ objections, the principal insisted on maintaining discipline within the school, leading to an argument between the two sides.

Police were called to mediate, but no resolution was reached. As a result, the Commissioner General of Examinations, Amith Jayasundara, ordered the temporary closure of the center. Jayasundara stated that a final decision would be made by Friday, January 17, 2025.

In response, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) filed a formal complaint with the Education Ministry and the Examinations Commissioner General.

CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin condemned the closure, claiming it delayed the release of the Combined Mathematics paper results for the 2024 A/L examination. Stalin said that security personnel prevented teachers from entering the evaluation center due to non-compliance with the principal’s dress code.

The CTU also submitted a petition signed by 26 individuals, requesting legal action against the principal for blocking teachers from entering the center.

Stalin criticized the requirement for teachers to wear sarees while working long hours from 7 AM to 6 PM, under difficult conditions, and during school holidays. He called for a more practical and comfortable dress code that still upholds the school’s standards.

This incident follows a similar situation at a boys’ school in Kandy, where teachers were initially prevented from entering the examination center due to their attire, but were later allowed to proceed.

The CTU has urged the Education Ministry and Examinations Commissioner General to address the issue to prevent further disruptions.