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Education Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the education sector has seen a remarkable improvement during the tenure of the PA Government.

"This is considered as the best managed times of our education system since C. W. W. Kannangara's era," Dr. Amunugama said.

Addressing a media conference at Isurupaya, Battaramulla on Friday, Dr. Amunugama made these remarks responding to a statement by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who alleged that the PA government has introduced a futile education system to the country under the education reforms program.

"The Education system of the then government spearheaded by the opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was a total mess. Before 1994 the students had to languish for about three years to enter university after their GCE AL examination. The universities were constantly closed. Teachers agitated over their meagre salaries. The government schools were filled with unqualified and untrained teachers," the Minister said.

During the UNP regime of which Mr. Wickremesinghe was also a Minister, the Examinations Commissioner was arrested for issuing bogus certificates to a politician's relative. The commissioner was given a general amnesty by the then Justice Minister. But such allegations were not made during the PA regime. In fact the public trust has increased towards the Examinations Department now.

The present government with the help of the Ministry officials, the UGC, university lecturers and the students had been able to take certain effective steps to minimise this gap of six months between school and campus. The UGC have made arrangements to admit both the August 2001 and April 2002 AL students to the universities in November next year in two batches.

The setting up of the Sri Lanka Teacher's Service in 1995 and raising their salaries by nearly 50 percent is the biggest achievement of all. Afterwards, the recruitment of untrained teachers were terminated and four new Colleges of Education was set up to expand the teacher training and re-training facilities.

Under the education reforms a number of effective steps were taken to improve the quality of education in schools and universities from 1998. English was introduced from primary level to senior secondary. The GCE OL and AL syllabi were revised to introduce a variety of new subjects.

In all universities, career guidance units were established to provide job related assistance and advice for graduates who are about to pass out from the universities. These units are fully functioning in all the universities now.

The difference between the two governments is that the university students are free to carry out protests and demonstrations under the PA administration unlike in the past where they were brutally mutilated and murdered, Dr. Amunugama added.

Ministry Secretary Dr. Tara de Mel, Prof. Carlo Fonseka,University Grants Commission Chairman R. Mendis and Director General in charge of Education Reforms S. Medagama also spoke at the media conference.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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