Secondary, primary schools to be upgraded

'Tomorrow's children should be resources to entire world':

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

Tomorrow's children should be resources to the entire world not only for the island, said Education Minister Bandula Gunwardena.

Minister Bandula Gunwardena

He was addressing the equipment handing over ceremony for 119 primary schools at the Education Ministry recently.

Minister Gunawardane said in the past, parents wanted to make their children a resource to the country. But now the situation has changed.

"Due to the global village concept our children have to compete with the world," he said. "The government has launched a programme to upgrade 1,000 selected secondary schools and 5,000 primary schools to uplift the school system in the country under the Mahinda Chinthanaya. The objective of launching this programme is to provide equal benefits for all students in the country and prepare them to compete with the world.

The ministry pays special attention to promote subjects such as English, IT, science, mathematics, aesthetic subjects and sport," said the minister.

He added that for the first time in history, information technology teaching appointments will be provided for 1,000 teachers on July 29. These teachers will be appointed to selected 1,000 secondary schools islandwide. The Education Ministry is currently interviewing graduates to select 1,000 teachers.

"These 1,000 secondary schools will be equipped with all educational facilities found at leading schools in Colombo, Galle, Matara, Kurunegala and Kandy. The other 5,000 secondary schools will be developed as child-friendly schools," he said.

He added that the government plans to improve these schools by 2016. The ministry has taken measures to create 475 new model primary schools islandwide.

The ministry will provide educational equipment such as multimedia projectors, musical instruments etc for those schools.

The Education Ministry and the Presidential Secretariat has jointly taken measures to reorganize schools having less than 50 students, said the minister.