EU funds education in East

The European Union provided a new secondary school building for 300 children and 13 teachers of Ameer Ali village, in Ampara, eastern Sri Lanka.

Prior to the new school building, students and teachers conducted classes in a temporary shed. The school lacked adequate toilet facilities and was without a perimeter wall which meant that it was difficult for teachers to monitor the whereabouts of students and cattle often wandered into the school grounds.

In 2007, the Department of Education granted permission to upgrade the school from primary to secondary level. One of the main driving forces for this decision was the fact that school drop outs were averaging 40 to 45 students per year, most of whom were female.

This project, costing over 7.2 million rupees and made possible by the European Union through its implementing partner the International Organization for Migration (IOM), under the Community Livelihoods Support Program (CLSP), includes a two storey building with classrooms, store rooms, landscaping and site development, including drainage.

The school will now cater for children from Grade 1 through to Grade 9, and with this expansion, the number of students who are expected to benefit from the project will invariably rise significantly in the coming years.

"The school was upgraded by the Department of Education to try to reduce drop outs but the classrooms and facilities were not adequate to accommodate more students.

We sought assistance from the European Union and IOM, and the result of their support is this majestic building. We are very happy with the results," said A.H.M. Jesin, principal of the school.

A ceremony to open and hand over the secondary school to the Ameer Ali School Development Society took place at 10.30 am on October 01 at the school site. The Zonal Director of Education, Divisional Secretary, staff of the school, and officials of the education department will attend this momentous occasion alongside the community.