O/Ls from Dec 11 to 22

The 2009 December GCE Ordinary Level Examination will be held at 3,215 examination centres countrywide from December 11 to 22. All arrangements have now been finalised for the examination, said the Education Ministry in press release issued yesterday.

The release said a total of 545,132 candidates are billed to sit the examination this year and of them 405,257 are school candidates.

410274 candidates will sit for the examination under the new syllabus and 134858 under the old syllabus. There will be 3,215 examination centres and 504 Co-ordinating centres. Over 70,000 public servants will be deployed for examination duties.

The release said that special arrangements have also been made to enable candidates in welfare centres in the North to sit the examination. Nearly 10,000 students in welfare villages had qualified to sit the examination this year.

Their admission papers will be delivered to them by December 3 after a meeting with the Zonal Education Derectors on November 27.

Minister Susil Premajayantha has directed the Examination Department to streamline the examination procedure to ensure that no injustice is caused to any candidate.

Arrangements will be made in consultation with the Defence Ministry to ensure that the resettlement program will not inconvenience students sitting the examination.