Education revamp proposed

Bid to overcome malpractices, shortcomings in sector:

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The Government is looking at the possibility of restructuring the school system along with admission of students in a bid to overcome prevailing malpractices and difficulties pertaining to the education sector.

According to a cabinet memorandum by Education Minister Susil Premajayantha a committee of intellectuals is to be appointed to look into matters and come out with a viable programme to streamline the education sector from 2009.

Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa explaining the lengthy Cabinet memorandum presented by the Education Minister yesterday noted that education which is the cornerstone of development should be equal to all and emphasised the need to restructure it for better gains.

In the Education Minister’s memorandum he has pointed out that 260 rural schools had to be closed down from 2000 to 2005, due to the popular school concept, with parents reluctant to admit their children to less affluent schools in the rural areas.

Also the Minister has cited a damning report by the Diabetes society in which they have stated that about 15% of 10-15 year school going age group are diabetic patients which the society has attributed to irregular eating habits and lack of exercise and mental trauma, which is the result of heavy competition in the education sector.

The report has pointed out that the prevailing structure regarding school curricula, admission methods, school classification and unequal facilities have led to this situation.

It also has pointed out that if the trend continues it would have serious repercussions on the country’s development on many fronts and has emphasised the need to come out with a viable programme to address the grievances.