In improving English knowledge:

Private sector helps teachers

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

The Education Ministry has to get private sector assistance to improve the English knowledge of English teachers and English medium teachers, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

The Minister was addressing a teachers training program at the British High Commission to upgrade teachers’ knowledge. The teacher training program which started as a pilot project in 2006 is being conducted in six districts at present.

The Minister said the Teachers Training College at Ruwanpura has taken steps to train 360 Information Technology (IT) teachers annually to fulfill the teacher requirement in schools. ”The Education Ministry has focused its attention on enhancing students’ knowledge in English and IT.

In line with this program, moves are under way to construct 3,500 computer laboratories within the next 18 months. Solar powered computer laboratories will be established in schools which do not have hydro electricity power,” Minister Premajayantha said.