Education experts have conveyed a crucial message to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, emphasizing the potential long-term repercussions of postponing the Advanced Level (A-Level) examination in Sri Lanka. They caution that such a delay could result in exceeding the age limit for admission to local and foreign degree courses, ultimately leading to an education crisis in the country.

As discussions continue regarding the possible postponement of the A-Level exams, education experts have stressed the importance of considering the broader implications of this decision. The current age limit for admission to various degree programs is a critical factor, and exceeding it could have significant consequences for aspiring students.

These experts have highlighted the fact that in recent years, Sri Lanka's education system has faced disruptions caused by various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges. These disruptions have led to delays in examinations and interruptions in school education.

If the 2023 A-Level examination is postponed until January 2024, it will have a cascading effect on other key exams. The GCE Ordinary Level examination scheduled for March and April 2024 would need to be postponed to May and June of the same year. This, in turn, would result in the delayed release of the 2023 A-Level exam results until July 2024. Consequently, students appearing for the A-Level exam would require additional time to prepare for university admissions.

In this scenario, experts believe that the 2024 GCE Advanced Level Examination could face further postponement, potentially extending it to December 2024 or January 2025. Such delays would exacerbate the setbacks already experienced in Sri Lanka's education system, hampering the correction of these issues and posing challenges to the country's educational landscape.