WB project to transform SL into 'knowledge hub'

The World Bank funded US $ 100 million (LKR 13.2 billion) project to transform school education to prepare the country towards a 'knowledge hub,' was launched recently in partnership with the Ministry of Education.

The objective of the Transforming School Education Project (TSEP), was to enhance access and quality of primary and secondary education, to provide a foundation for the knowledge-based economic and social development of the country. The Transforming School Education Project will support Sri Lanka's Education Sector Development Framework and Programme (ESDFP) 2012-2016. The assistance under the TSEP is aligned with the foundation and three themes of the ESDFP.

The World Bank funded US$ 100 Million (Rs 13.2 billion) project to transfer school education to prepare the country towards a ‘knowledge hub’ was launched recently. Here from Left: Director General, National Institute of Education Prof. Abeyratne Banda, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Diarietou Gaye, Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils Dr. Y.D. Nihal Jayathilaka, Lead Education Specialist, World Bank Dr. Harsha Aturupane, Secretary and Ministry of Education H. M. Gunasekera at the launching ceremony

The central objective of this theme is to increase the proportion of children and youths in the age group 6 -16 years, completing primary education and secondary education at least up to grade 11. There are several strategies to achieve this objective. Demand side incentives include, the appointment of school attendance committees in each local school community to promote school enrolment and attendance; school health and nutrition programmes, including meals for children from poor communities and sanitation facilities to promote attendance, especially among girls.

The supply side measures include, ensuring that a good quality primary school is available within easy reach of all primary school aged children and that a good quality secondary school offering science, arts and management curriculum streams are available within reasonable travelling distance for all students. The country's ESDFP 2012-2016 plans to upgrade and develop about 5,000 primary schools and about 1,000 secondary schools during 2012-2016. Non-formal education programmes and special education programmes will be available for students with special needs, who require these alternative types of education.

The TSEP will pay special attention to the promotion of learning in subjects that are of central importance for the labour market, such as English, IT, science, mathematics and commerce and management. Primary education, which is a necessary foundation for good quality secondary education, will also be important. The TSEP will support an important reform that has been introduced, the Bilingual Education programme, where a range of subjects in the secondary grade cycles are available in the English medium.

These initiatives are designed to expand the pool of secondary school completers fluent in English and skilled in IT, science and mathematics. The national assessments of learning outcomes will cover these key subjects, as well as students following the Bilingual Education programme. Soft skills will also be promoted, including thorough extra and co-curricular activities.

The TSEP will assist the government to improve the school curriculum to better reflect modern international trends in curriculum practice, effectively disseminate curriculum goals, values and aims to stakeholders and orient the education system more strongly to the world of work. The TSEP will help the National Institute of Education (NIE) to fine tune and upgrade the primary and secondary school curricula.

The main ESDFP 2012-2016 development initiative under this theme is the establishment of a balanced control model of school based management called the Programme for School Improvement (PSI). The TSEP will support the PSI. Under the PSI, school officials will be joined by stakeholders in the local school community, such as parents, past pupils and well-wishers, in the management and administration of schools. The government will provide a grant to schools to improve education outcomes.

This initiative will build on a successful pilot version of the PSI, which has a positive impact on the learning outcomes of primary school students. It will be expanded to the secondary level. There will be greater autonomy at school level to manage funds. There will also be greater accountability. The accounts of school expenditures will be reported publicly. At the end of each year, there will be a school performance feedback form that will describe the degree of attainment of the school's performance targets against the school development plan for that year. The form will be made available to the public.

The TSEP will also support the country to strengthen the capacity of the education management system, particularly, the provincial and sub-provincial systems at the zone and division levels. The TSEP will help build the leadership and management capacities of school principals.

This is particularly important, given the additional roles that school principals will have to play as the PSI is expanded and greater responsibility and power is devolved to schools. The Transforming School Education Project will be managed and implemented at the national level by the Ministry of Education and at the regional level by the Provincial Councils.