Govt ensures equity in education -President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said his government has ensured that higher education opportunities are available to all eligible students. He said, the education streams too have expanded and the government has set up mechanisms to guide students on the correct path when making decisions on higher studies.

The President said so during a function at Kotalawalapura Maha Vidyalaya, Ratmalana on Saturday where he declared open the ‘Mahindodaya’ science and technological laboratory, the first such facility to be inaugurated under the ongoing programme to develop 1,000 secondary schools.

Under the programme, the government will set up science, computer, language and mathematics laboratories in identified secondary schools.

The President said the government is making every effort to expand facilities and opportunities to students under the free education system introduced by the late C.W.W.Kannangara.

He identified the facility opened on Saturday and introduction of secondary schools and other such initiatives as efforts in this direction. He said such efforts were towards the goal of ensuring equity in education. Now even students from the remotest areas of the country are being provided with equal opportunities and facilities at education, he added.

The President went on to say that the development of 1,000 secondary schools will provide an opportunity for parents to get a good school for their children without any hassle or fuss.

“This will provide an opportunity for parents to admit their children to a secondary school in their own area which would provide education from primary to advanced level with facilities on par with the best schools in the country”, he added. He said a large portion of the government’s budgetary allocation was towards developing education and human resources to make the country a hub of knowledge.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena and Supervising MP for the Education Ministry Mohanlal Grero too expressed their views at the event.