A protest was held in front of the Ministry of Education demanding the re-conduct of the grade 5 scholarship examination.
The committee which was appointed to find out whether three questions of the scholarship exam had come out earlier had recommended that all the children be given marks for those questions without conducting the examination.
The protesters say that it is useless and the exam should be re-conducted.
Education authorities said, in line with recommendations made by an independent specialist committee appointed to probe the recent alleged leak of the Grade Five scholarship examination paper, it has been decided not to hold the examination again and award marks to all students who sat for the exam for the three disputed questions.
This was conveyed through a statement signed by the Education Science and Technology and Ministry Secretary and Commissioner General for Examinations Amit Jayasundera. The committee appointed on the instructions of the Prime Minister and Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya had pointed out that holding a fresh examination will bring immense mental stress on students who are as young as 10 years.
It will also be stressful for teachers, students and the entire school system, they had pointed out while recommending the best solution will be to award marks for all students for the three disputed questions without holding a fresh examination.
