Teacher villages to overcome teacher shortages

Mahiyangana: The Education Ministry will build teacher villages (Guru Gammana) in 25 selected areas in the country next year as a solution to the teacher shortage in schools in difficult areas. Each fully equipped teacher village will cost Rs. five million and the Ministry has earmarked to spend a total of Rs. 125 million on this project, said Education Minister Susil Premajayantha.

The Education Minister was addressing a conference held at the Orubendiwewa Navodya School, Mahiyangana to seek solutions to educational problems in the Mahiyangana Educational Zone recently.

Minister Premajayantha said the residential problem was the major problem faced by teachers coming to serve in difficult area schools from other parts of the country. This problem would be solved once and for all with the setting up of teacher villages.

Premajayantha said his Ministry always provided funds and other assistance needed by Provincial Education Ministries without any hesitation. All funds required by Provincial Education Ministries this year have been set apart under the National Education Plan.

He said, in order to build close links and co-operation between teachers and education officials and promote a more conducive office environment in this regard the Ministry has taken steps to rehabilitate and refurbish the eight provincial education offices in the country at a cost of Rs. two million each and also renovate 25 selected Zonal Education offices out of a total of 94 offices at a cost of Rs. one million each.

Furthermore, as a short-term measure to improve physical resources in schools in the Mahiyangana Zone, the Ministry will shortly provide Rs. 20,000 each to schools in the area.

Provincial Agriculture, Lands and Irrigation Minister and Mahiyangana SLFP Chief Organiser D. D. W. Wickramaratne also spoke. Education Deputy Minister M. Satchitanandan, Provincial Council Members, Education Directors, Principals of 74 schools and other officials also attended the conference.