Chapter 1: The Technology Stream: Structure, Subjects, and Examination

Why the stream exists

For many years, the A/L offered streams that led mostly to academic degrees. The Technology stream was introduced in 2013 to give students with technical and practical aptitudes a direct path to higher education and to meet the country’s need for skilled technologists (GCE Advanced Level in Sri Lanka, n.d.). The subjects of Engineering Technology and Bio-Systems Technology include theory, practical training, and skills development, and the stream’s creators emphasised that the examination assesses skills as well as knowledge (Daily FT, n.d.).

Subjects and combinations

A student in the Technology stream offers three subjects, organized in categories (Learner.net, n.d.-a):

In addition to these three, every A/L candidate takes the common subjects: General English and the Common General Test (CGT), a multiple-choice paper (Learner.net, n.d.-b). Results are reported as grades (A, B, C, S, and F, with S the lowest pass). The examination is offered in Sinhala, Tamil, and English media.

Who can enter

When the stream was introduced, the Ministry of Education explained that a student who has passed the G.C.E. (O/L) with credit passes in a small number of subjects, including a pass in mathematics, science, and the mother tongue, can choose the Technology stream (Daily FT, n.d.). Entry rules and the list of schools that teach the stream can change, so ask your school and the zonal education office about the current requirements. Not every school offers the stream, so some students must move to a school that does.

How the stream is assessed

The ET and BST subjects are assessed through a written examination with a large share of the marks for theory, together with practical components and skills development (Daily FT, n.d.). The exact weighting, the format of the papers, and the arrangement of practical assessments are set by the Department of Examinations and the NIE and have changed over time. Find the current rules and the past papers from the Department of Examinations, and study the practical and school-based parts as seriously as the theory.

Choosing between ET and BST

Choose Engineering Technology if you are interested in machines, electricity and electronics, construction, manufacturing, or automation, and you enjoy drawing, measurement, and building things.

Choose Bio-Systems Technology if you are interested in agriculture, food, aquaculture, biotechnology, or the environment, and you enjoy working with living systems and processes.

Choose your third subject to support your goals. Many Engineering Technology students choose ICT; a study in the Ampara district found that students in Engineering Technology were more likely to choose ICT than students in Bio-Systems Technology (South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, n.d.). Check the entry requirements of the degree you want. University admission rules for Technology degrees ask for passes in the specialist subject and in SFT, together with a pass in the third subject, which can come from a list of approved subjects (University of Sri Jayewardenepura, n.d.-a, n.d.-b).

The two years

The A/L course is normally taught across Grades 12 and 13 and examined at the end of Grade 13. In Grade 12, learn the foundations carefully in all three subjects and make full use of practical sessions. In Grade 13, complete the syllabus, complete practical records, and then practise past papers under exam conditions.

Common mistakes

Treating SFT as the “easy” subject. It underpins both ET and BST and carries the same weight in the Z-score.

Neglecting practicals and records because they seem less important than the written paper.

Choosing the third subject without checking degree entry requirements.

Practice questions

Name the compulsory subject in the Technology stream and the two specialist subjects.

Name the two common subjects taken by all A/L candidates.