Education is a very crucial concept when it comes to the success of an individual or a country. The value of education cannot be measured and can be beneficial in countless means. Education takes many forms such as primary education, secondary education and higher education. Primary education and secondary education in Sri Lanka are provided by government schools and private schools.
The significance of secondary education
Secondary education in Sri Lanka comprises of grades six to thirteen (age 11 – 19) in the national curriculum. The syllabus is set by the Ministry of Education. Most schools have a scholarship examination in grade five which is a great opportunity for students in rural areas attending inefficient and unrecognized schools to attend much more successful ones depending on the results.
The ordinary level examination is compulsory for all students and they have to face this by the age of sixteen.This consists of nine subjects and have proven to be very beneficial in the modern world. This examination is considered as a significant milestone in the life of a student as good results in the ordinary level examination can attract many opportunities at recognized and well-funded jobs as it is a major qualification.
It can also help a student who is not satisfied with his/her current school to enter a better one with more promising standards for A/Ls.
Royal Institute and its contribution
Royal Institute (RI) has a legacy of over 50 years of excellence in the domain of education in Sri Lanka and has excelled in producing resplendent citizens all across the globe; they stand out for their exceptional brilliance. The proud alumni of RI bear witness to the greatness of their alma mater and the unending and unwavering guidance and strength they received through the school during the entire academic journey.
Royal Institute specializes in offering National (Grades 1-13), Cambridge (Grades 1-10) and Edexcel A/L education and time after time have proven its excellence by breaking records and setting new records through outstanding results in O/Ls and A/Ls.
As a pioneer of international schools in Sri Lanka, RI has a long history of providing exceptional education to its students. As a responsible provider of primary and secondary education, the school prides itself in delivering a value-driven education assisting students in pursuing excellence. With a network of five branches across Havelock Town, Nugegoda, Maya Avenue, Maharagama and Gampaha, RI has had a high academic performance since its inception.
Royal Institute is also one among the first few international schools in Sri Lanka to obtain the unique ‘Cambridge School Centre’ status. Cambridge Assessment International Education sets global standards in education, and is recognized by universities and employers worldwide. The Cambridge curriculum is flexible, challenging and inspiring, culturally sensitive, yet international in approach.The school has been successful in obtaining outstanding academic results over the past 50 years.
Curricula and variations
National education was deemed free of charge by Mr. C.W.W.Kannangara who is considered the father of education in Sri Lanka. This concept is followed by government schools and is considered to be very valuable for children from low-income backgrounds. This gives the opportunity for them to learn and enjoy the facilities despite their social status.
The textbooks and uniforms are also provided free of charge in government schools. In private schools, limitations apply as a fee is charged in return for the education service provided, howeverbetter facilities and privileges can be enjoyed by students. In addition, some variations may apply such as different rules and lesser number of teacher-student ratios in a single classroom.
Cambridge education is offered in Sri Lanka and is of international value for the students.It starts from grade one and continues up to grade twelve. It is well recognized and accepted by universities and employers worldwide. Cambridge education is provided mostly by the private and international schools and an increasing popularity for it can be noticed during the past years in our nation.
Secondary education of the Cambridge syllabus stretches from lower to upper secondary education and advanced grades. The curricula consist of a wide-variety subjects and the students following this also has the opportunity to face theOrdinary Level and Advanced Level Examination.
Essential elements of secondary education
In secondary education, the O/L and A/L examinations are considered to be the most important academic milestones but there are mid-term tests, unit tests and term tests for every three terms of school session in order to monitor the academic status of the children.
This makes sure the weaknesses of the child in subjects are identified and attended as soon as possible which increases the overall performance of students. Children are especially prepared for examinations by holding afterschool sessions, extra classes, remedial classes and past paper discussions to clarify the doubts of children for better performance.
Secondary education lasts approximately eight years and this sets the table for many opportunities. Many extra-curricular activities become open for students as they gain the ability to participate in a wide range of clubs such as interact clubs, sport clubs, rotary clubs, performance clubs, press clubs and such.
These boost the self-confidence, social skills, teamwork and the ability to bear victory and loss. These also help massively in individually identifying the hidden talents and skillsets of students and provide opportunities to utilize them successfully. Most of these skills would turn up as qualifications for a resume as well.
Benefits for learners
When considering the Advanced Level education, both national and Cambridge syllabus provide top graded education which would be of unparalleled use if one plans to pursue his/her dreams successfully and efficiently. The education students gain from A/Ls and the acceptable results put forth by them is another major qualification one can possess in order to gain a high and dignified position in a well-paid career, thus acting as almost a guarantee for a successful life.
The teachers also constantly encourage the children to pursue their dreams and completely grant them the independence of expressing their own brilliant ideas. This also boosts the confidence and self-motivation of children. They encourage every student in the classroom to try their best to get the maximum possible results according to each child’s potential which ultimately increases the possibility of every child being more or less educationally enlightened.
Going through secondary education, students are provided with many facilities to theoretically and practically prove points they learn by doing various experiments, building and deploying algorithms and such. This makes the student certain what he/she learns is true and this boosts enthusiasm and curiosity towards education.
In conclusion, the secondary education in Sri Lanka has many fascinating factors that provide for the well being of students who are really the future of the country. Their education and success is looked forward by all in a society, state and country.