Chapter 22: Planning the Two Years and Beyond
A two-year plan
| Period | Science for Technology | ET or BST | Third subject and skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 12, Term 1 | Measurement, mathematics, mechanics | Safety, drawing and materials (ET) or soil and plant basics (BST) | Learn the foundations; start the practical record |
| Grade 12, Term 2 | Heat, waves, electricity | Workshop and mechanical basics (ET) or crop production and water (BST) | First timed section papers |
| Grade 12, Term 3 | Chemistry basics | Electrical and electronic basics (ET) or plant protection (BST) | Practical skills test; mixed revision |
| Grade 13, Term 1 | Biology, ICT, remaining chemistry | Mechanical and civil technology (ET) or food technology (BST) | Practical assessments |
| Grade 13, Term 2 | Complete the syllabus | Complete ET or BST units; project | Full timed papers |
| Grade 13, Term 3 | Revision by weakness | Revision by weakness | Past papers; repair error log; rest |
This is a model. Follow your school’s order and the NIE syllabus.
Weekly rhythm
Daily: one subject in depth and one in brief for retrieval practice (Dunlosky et al., 2013).
Weekly: problems from earlier topics; error-log review; practical record up to date.
Monthly: a full paper in one subject under exam conditions.
Every six weeks: a spaced review of earlier topics.
Resources
The NIE syllabus and teacher’s guides for SFT, ET or BST, and your third subject.
Past papers and marking schemes from the Department of Examinations.
Textbooks and references listed in this book, and the school library and workshop.
Teachers, technicians, and extension officers, who have practical knowledge that books do not.
Visits to workshops, farms, factories, and construction sites.
The last month and examination weeks
Consolidate; do not start big new topics. Complete practical records and any projects. Practise past papers in realistic conditions. Prepare equipment (calculator, drawing instruments, pens). Plan sleep, meals, and travel. After each paper, rest and move on.
After the A/L
Results are released by the Department of Examinations; applications to state universities follow the UGC process. Check the UGC handbook for eligibility, courses, and deadlines. If you do not enter your first choice, consider other Faculties of Technology and specializations, the Open University, higher national diplomas, vocational (NVQ) training, apprenticeships, private institutions, study abroad, a gap year with work experience, or starting a small enterprise (Chapter 2). A technology career can begin in many places, and skills and character count as much as any single result.
Wellbeing
Keep friendships, exercise, and sleep. Seek help from a teacher, family member, or counsellor if pressure becomes too heavy. The Technology stream values practical ability; use yours, and be proud of it.
Common mistakes
Leaving practical records until the end.
Studying all night before a paper.
Comparing yourself with others instead of with your own progress.
Practice questions
Draw up a weekly timetable with spaced review and practical record time.
List three possible routes if your first choice of degree is not available.
Appendix A: Formula Quick Reference
| Topic | Result |
|---|---|
| Motion | ; ; |
| Force, work, power | ; ; ; efficiency |
| Machines | ; ; efficiency |
| Pressure | ; ; |
| Heat | ; ; ; |
| Waves | ; echo distance |
| Electricity | ; ; ; |
| Three-phase | ; ; |
| Materials | ; ; |
| Machining | ; belt ; |
| Beam (simply supported, UDL) | ; |
| Levelling | ; |
| Chemistry | ; ; |
| Photosynthesis | |
| Irrigation | ; 1 mm over 1 ha |
| Moisture content | |
| Feed conversion | |
| Farm economics | ; break-even yield |
Appendix B: Units and Conversions
| Quantity | SI unit | Useful conversions |
|---|---|---|
| Length | metre (m) | 1 km = 1000 m; 1 m = 100 cm = 1000 mm |
| Area | m² | 1 m² = cm²; 1 ha = m² |
| Volume | m³ | 1 m³ = 1000 L; 1 L = 1000 cm³ |
| Mass | kilogram (kg) | 1 t = 1000 kg; 1 kg = 1000 g |
| Time | second (s) | 1 h = 3600 s |
| Speed | m s⁻¹ | 1 km h⁻¹ = 0.278 m s⁻¹ |
| Force | newton (N) | 1 kN = 1000 N |
| Pressure | pascal (Pa) | 1 bar = Pa; 1 kPa = 1000 Pa |
| Energy | joule (J) | 1 kWh = 3.6 MJ |
| Power | watt (W) | 1 kW = 1000 W; 1 hp ≈ 746 W |
| Temperature | kelvin (K) |
Appendix C: Safety Signs and Protective Equipment
Safety signs follow international conventions (ISO, 2019).
| Sign type | Shape and colour | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prohibition | Red circle with diagonal bar | Must not do | No smoking; no naked flames |
| Mandatory | Blue circle with white symbol | Must do | Wear eye protection; wear gloves |
| Warning | Yellow triangle with black symbol | Hazard present | Electric shock; hot surface; corrosive |
| Safe condition | Green rectangle or square | Safe route or aid | Emergency exit; first aid |
| Fire equipment | Red rectangle or square | Fire-fighting location | Fire extinguisher; fire alarm |
| PPE | Protects against | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Safety glasses or goggles | Flying particles, splashes, UV | Grinding, drilling, chemicals, welding (welding shield) |
| Gloves | Cuts, heat, chemicals | Handling sharp, hot, or hazardous items |
| Safety footwear | Falling objects, nails, slips | Workshops, construction, farms |
| Hard hat | Falling objects | Construction sites |
| Ear protection | Noise | Machines, generators |
| Dust mask or respirator | Dust, vapours, spray | Cutting, sanding, pesticide spraying |
| Overalls or apron | Contact with chemicals, sparks, dirt | General workshop and laboratory use |
| High-visibility clothing | Being unseen | Roads and sites |
Appendix D: Glossary
Alloy. A mixture of a metal with other elements to improve its properties.
Biosecurity. Measures that prevent the entry and spread of disease in animals, plants, or farms.
CAD. Computer-aided design: software for drawing and modelling products and structures.
Closed-loop control. A system that measures its output and adjusts the input to keep the output at the desired value.
Efficiency. The fraction of input energy that becomes useful output.
Factor of safety. The ratio of a material’s strength to the working stress.
HACCP. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: a systematic food safety system.
Integrated pest management (IPM). Controlling pests by combining cultural, biological, physical, and chemical methods.
Moisture content. The proportion of water in a material, usually expressed as a percentage.
PPE. Personal protective equipment.
Power factor. The ratio of real power to apparent power in an AC circuit.
Prototype. A first working model of a design, used for testing.
RCD. Residual-current device: a switch that disconnects a circuit when leakage current to earth is detected.
SFT. Science for Technology.
SI. International System of Units.
Stress. Force per unit area within a material.
Sydney Accord. An international agreement recognising engineering technology qualifications.
Tolerance. The permitted variation in a dimension.
Z-score. A standardized score showing how many standard deviations a mark is from the mean; used in Sri Lankan university admission.
References
How to read this list. Entries follow APA 7th edition. Section A lists textbooks and reference works for science, engineering, agriculture, and ICT. Section B lists standards, accords, and research on learning and design. Section C lists web and official-document sources about the Sri Lankan Technology stream, university degrees, and education reform, checked in October 2026. Section D lists the official bodies that readers should consult for current syllabuses, examination formats, and admission rules, which change from year to year. Textbooks are cited for the established content they contain, so page numbers are not given.