Pre-school teachers' duty more a social service - Devananda

Pre-school teachers should consider teaching young children not only as an opportunity of availing themselves of an employment but as a service to the society for moulding the young, to become useful and law abiding citizens, said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda.

Devananda was speaking at a ceremony at Weerasingham Hall, Jaffna on February 21 to mark the second anniversary of the Northern Province Pre-schools coming under the supervision of the Provincial Councils. Governor GA Chandrasiri said that it was a special day for Jaffna.

Chandrasiri said that in accordance with the Mahinda Chintana vision for the future, a national policy has been planned for the pre-school education.

"There are 1,400 pre-schools in the North with 3,000 pre-school teacher population there are 40,000 students receiving education in these schools," he added.

Chandrasiri said that the Northern Provincial Council spends about Rs 60 million for pre-school education.