Over 50% pre-schools, montessoris in poor shape

by Chanuka Mannapperuma

More than half of the country's pre-schools and Montessoris are being conducted in ill-suited building surroundings and inferior environments raising grave concern for the authorities, a survey has revealed.

According to the survey only 46.4 per cent pre-schools operate in good buildings which are solely allocated for teaching purposes, said a spokesman for the Women's Affairs and Child Care Probation Ministry.

"Also 95.8 per cent do not have proper facilities for disabled children which is a pre-requisite," the spokesman added. Following those findings, the Ministry has decided to introduce a policy framework from next year, to streamline the pre-schools and montessories which are mushrooming countrywide.

Under this policy, they will basically focus on ensuring a proper education scheme, environment of those schools and qualification of teachers, a Ministry spokesman said.

The initiative to introduce this policy comes at a time when nearly one-third of pre-schools operating in the country had not been registered with the Ministry, the spokesman said adding that it is requirement for all such schools to register with the Ministry.