Lanka to achieve 100%  literacy rate by 2015 - Susil Premajayantha

by Nilma DOLE

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Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that Sri Lanka will improve its literacy rate.

He was speaking at a ceremony to open the Book Festival 2008 . "We are ahead of 193 countries in literacy and will increase it because UNESCO statistics have shown that we have a 92.5% literacy rate", he said.

The Minister said he is confident that Sri Lanka can achieve 100% literacy by 2015.

Premajayanth said English language skills will be developed by providing professional training in India.

"We are training teachers and school leavers with not only English educational aspects but also proper teaching methodologies which are essential in sustaining English education in Sri Lanka", he said.

The Minister said that such professional training courses are done within three to six months for around 400 students which helps graduates to begin their careers quickly.

He said the Ministry has already included science in the A/L English stream to promote English education in Sri Lanka.