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Panawala Maha Vidyalaya, Godakawela in the Ratnapura district won the first place in the 5S productivity competition held by the Ministry of Education, last week. Mahamathya Vidyalaya, Colombo 5 and Herath Gunaratne Vidyalaya, Chilaw won the second and third places.

Maliban, one of the oldest and wholly owned Sri Lankan companies, organised this program as one of its corporate social responsibility projects to mark its 50th anniversary last year. Under the program 5S productivity standards were implemented in 25 selected schools island wide.

The program was closely monitored and organisers, ministry officials and school principals said that there was a dramatic change in the management of the schools after one year of 5S implementation. Attitudes of the teachers and students have changed while the cleanliness of the schools improved.

School buildings have been renovated and water, sanitation and other infrastructure have been improved with donations from sponsors, parents and villagers. Some schools collected money from various campaigns. Money was not an issue in the program, the main component was the commitment of the principal, teachers and the students of the school, the organisers said.

Minister of Education Susil Premajayanth, the chief guest, said that the ministry is in severe management crisis from top to bottom. The 5S concept has to be implemented from the top. "For three months I am struggling to make the work in the Ministry head office more efficient and effective.

I want to solve the problems of teachers and principals who come from far away within one day. However, it is hard to transform the system. It is difficult to change the attitudes of people who apart from talking and urging for their rights and privileges unfortunately do not think of their duties entrusted, the Minister said. All schools who participated were presented with certificates at the ceremony while the top three schools received cash awards.

(GW)

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