'Special funding for secondary schools'

The government will provide special funding for the development of the 1,000 secondary schools in the country through the Budget, said Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena when he attended a commemorative meeting to mark the 127th birth anniversary of the father of Free Education Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara at the Colombo Ananda College Kularatne Hall recently.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has paid special attention towards the provision of laboratories, language and Mathematics halls, and Fine arts and sports facilities to schools under the 1,000 secondary schools Development programme, he added. The minister said prior to the introduction of the Free Education system, there had been a temple based education system in the country as evidenced by the mighty irrigation systems and creations, such as, the Sigiriya fortress.

During the colonial period, the missionary system of education spread in the country due to foreign influence. Farsighted national leaders tried to protect and preserve our indigenous education by setting up Buddhist schools in the country.

The Central schools system introduced by C.W.W. Kannangara under his free education policies brought about a fundamental change in the system of education, the minister said.