Each year, approximately 73% of students in Sri Lanka qualify to pursue the General Certificate of Education (G.C.E.) Advanced Level after successfully completing their Ordinary Level examinations. However, a persistent issue has emerged regarding the level of interest in General English among these Advanced Level students. Observations from classrooms and personal experience suggest that many students show limited engagement with the subject.
Several factors contribute to this minimal interest. Despite the government’s substantial annual expenditure on printing textbooks for General English, the subject is rarely prioritized in many state schools. Reports indicate that some English teachers advise students to concentrate only on the three main subjects required for university admission, often downplaying the importance of English proficiency. This attitude among educators contributes to students perceiving General English as a subject of little value.
Moreover, General English currently does not influence the overall examination pass status or the crucial Z score—a key metric used for university admissions in Sri Lanka. Due to its lack of impact on academic progression, many students consider investing time in the subject as futile.
This trend has raised concerns among higher education institutions and employers, as it results in graduates with inadequate English skills, hindering their competitiveness in the global job market. English language teaching experts and academic professionals have repeatedly highlighted these challenges to successive Ministers of Education, but no significant reforms have been implemented to date.
Experts in English Language Teaching (ELT) argue that General English should no longer be treated as a supplementary subject. There is a growing call to assign it a modest weight in the Z score calculations and to establish a minimum proficiency requirement for university admissions and degree program selection. While these changes aim to raise the standard of English skills among students, experts also stress the need to balance such requirements to avoid adding excessive academic burden.
As Sri Lanka continues to position its youth for global career opportunities, stakeholders emphasize the necessity of practical reforms in English language education that enhance language proficiency without overwhelming students.