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by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen

Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Sarath Amunugama addressing the 122nd Anniversary Prize giving of Girls High School, Kandy at the School's Auditorium said that the Government spends a large amount on education which is second only to the Defence expenditure and the delay in admitting students to the University has been done away with. A candidate sitting for the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination in April next year would be admitted to the university by November which is something seats of learning like Oxford or Cambridge cannot do.

Minister Dr. Amunugama said when the School Song was sung his mind drifted back to his young days when he was a student at Girls High School and sang this song in this very hall. Those were the days when boys studied in this school up to standard two before going over to a boys school. The only time in his life, he got a triple promotion was at Girls High School for which he is greatful and from there twelve of them went to Trinity College to continue their studies in standard three. We often had fights with other boys of Trinity college but we always kept up the reputation of Girls High School.

He said that during that time the Principal of this school was Miss Ruth Allen and the Vice Principal Mrs. Grace Paul. This hallowed institution has produced students who have excelled in their own field of choice and above all it has inculcated into them to act with responsibility whatever they undertook. Today he had met many who had been with him at Girls High School but do not ask how long ago, as it would reveal their ages (by those present). Former Education Ministers Richard Pathirana and Susil Premajayantha have done a lot for Galle and Colombo respectively and being a person from Kandy he will accede to all their requests through the Department of Education. In lighter vein he said, he did not know whether to call himself an old girl or an old boy.

Minister Amunugama said where the Education Ministry is concerned, he is like a new boy in a school, as he took over the Ministry only a few months ago. Maybe he was given this appointment as he had links with Education over the years. If you refer to the problems facing this country and the turmoil, a change in the education system and Educational Reforms is necessary. The Education system in the 21st century needs a change to meet the challenges of the present day. In our country you find a large number of youths and school children. According to records there are 45 lakhs of students and 10,000 schools in the country which is manned by two lakhs of teachers. Overall the government spends Rs. 37 billion annually on education.

He said by spending such a large sum of money what does the government expect to achieve? The Government wants to produce responsible citizens and give them a good future and for them to serve the country. To achieve this, we must implement an education system which they could understand and be of use to them. The present education system has been geared to enter the University which only a small percentage could do. According to records about 180,000 sit for the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination every year out of this number only 13,000 enter the University. In the past 10,000 or 11,000 enter the University but this year, he had managed for an increased number to enter the university. In the past after sitting for the Examination, a candidate has to wait for 2 or 3 years to enter the University but from next year, those who sat for the G.C.E. A/L Examination in April will be able to enter the University in November the same year. He did not think there is no place in the world, not even at Oxford or Cambridge Universities where there is such expeditious process in which students are admitted to the higher seats of learning within months.

We are now in the process of providing amenities such as buildings, Science Laboratories, Libraries, Computer Units etc. In the past few months we have provided these amenities to many schools in the Kandy District and we are now opening them. Amenities alone will not be sufficient, there should be changes in the type of education imparted towards modern technology.Changes have been made in Science, Mathematics and foreign languages and technology have been included into the curriculum, and more opportunities have been provided to them than in the past, for the young ones.

He said that in a school the most valuable thing is the principal, teachers and students. We may have all the amenities but the results depends on the devotion of the Principal and the staff and the application of the students, which will results in the correct form of education being imparted. We have in this respect done a lot by increasing the salaries of teachers, inauguration of Principal's Service, Teachers Service and providing scholarships to create a more responsible and contented Teacher Service. Teachers services are more recognised and appreciated now than in the past. The hidden heroes of the country are the teachers. He and the government will do everything for the teachers to be a contented lot.

The Annual Report of the School was read by its Principal Mrs. G. N. Silva and Vote of Thanks was delivered in three languages by the School Captain Kethakie Wahundeniya (Sinhala), President Tamil Society Miriyalini Sundaraja (in Tamil) and President L. M. D. Society Natasha Sheriff (in English). 

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