Some rural schools sill lack teachers - Maithripala

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

Education supports to strengthen unity among various races in Sri Lanka. Inter-communal marriages will also help strengthen unity and peace among the public, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

"There are a few issues in Sri Lanka's educational field. The lack of teachers in rural areas is one of the main issues in Sri Lanka's educational sector. The other is that several schools have been divided according to race and religion. Under this method, there is no opportunity to move about in a multi-cultural and multi-religious context," he said.

The minister was addressing a ceremony at Tamil Maha Vidyalayam, Hewanpitiya, Welikanda. The ceremony was held to felicitate students who obtained best results at the GCE Advanced Level Examination last year.

This school recorded best results at the GCE(A-L) examination in 2011 in the Polonnaruwa district.

All six students of Tamil Vidyalayam who sat for the A-L examination last year, passed the exam with good results. "We have became a free nation after the 30-year-war was ended. We should work with each other in a peaceful manner. All Sinhala,Tamil and Muslim students studying in one school will take the country forward in unity. This will also help learn different languages," Sirisena said.

The government has decided to hold the Deyata Kirula exhibition in the Eastern Province in 2013. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed the authorities to give priority to develop schools in the Eastern province. All shortages in schools in the Eastern province will be solved by next year, he said.