MOHAMMED ZAHRAN
COLOMBO :Ms. Fathima Nada binthi Mansoor, an Advanced Level Science student at a renowned international girls school in Colombo on behalf of A/L students, requests the government to introduce standardised textbooks , akin to those provided for primary and secondary education.
Her concerns highlight two critical drawbacks of the current system:
1 Inequity in Education: Financial constraints leave many students unable to afford high-quality reference materials, widening the gap in learning opportunities.
2 Exploitation by Tuition Providers: Tuition classes have capitalised on this gap, with exorbitantly priced notes—even delivered by post—placing additional financial burdens on students and parents.
It is hoped that Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Ms. Harini Amarasuriya, also the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, will prioritise this proposal. Standardized textbooks could serve as a decisive step in curbing the tuition culture and democratising education access for A/L students.
In the absence of state-published standard textbooks, Sri Lanka’s tuition industry thrives unchecked, profiting off the unequal access to quality education materials.
