'Education and knowledge, wealth of present generation'

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

"The education system will be streamlined with the assistance of personnel of the education sector and under the guidance of political authority, said new Education Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Jayaratne on assumption of duties at the Education Ministry yesterday.

He said the Education Ministry is among the key ministries, which directly deal with the future of the younger generation. Therefore, the Education Ministry is part and parcel of the Presidential initiative to convert Sri Lanka as the centre for education and knowledge hub of Asia.

Highlighting the value of free education, he added that a person in his calibre from the village became the Education Ministry Secretary as a result of free education. If not for free education, he would not have been the secretary to the Education Ministry.

"Education and knowledge are the wealth of the present generation," Secretary Jayaratne said.

He advised his staff to work with determination,dedication and devotion aiming to achieve the final goal of a better education for all.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said the Education Ministry is responsible to create a better future for four million school children. The standard of education has to be upgraded to reach the required standards.

"Only 56 schools out of 10,000 school are above the standard. Of these 25 schools are in the Western Province. Therefore, the Education Ministry is duty bound to upgrade the standard of education equally," he said.