Rs. 6 b program for school development

by Ranil Wijayapala

The mapping out of schools to be developed under the Rs. 6 billion assistance package from the World Bank is now on. It is being carried out by the Education Ministry and the Finance Ministry with the idea of launching the program early next year, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

He said the Government intends to develop 1,000 schools including schools in the North and the East under this program to ease the big demand for popular schools in the country.“We intend to develop these schools with all physical and human resources, enabling the students to have a proper education in their own areas”, the Minister said.

The Finance Ministry and Education Ministry are now selecting the schools that are to be developed under this program.

Minister Gunawardena said President Mahinda Rajapaksa will include this proposal in the November Budget proposals.

He said with the implementation of this project, there will be one popular school with all physical and human resources for each five to six schools in all areas of the country.

“We also intend to improve schools in the war-ravaged areas in the North and the East under this program”, the Minister added.

He said many parents are engulfed in the myth of ‘popular schools’ when the best results in the Grade Five Scholarship, G.C.E. (O/L) and A/L Examinations are reported from schools outside the Colombo city.He said many popular schools have emerged with the implementation of programs under various governments to improve schools in remote areas and also within cities as alternatives to the so-called popular schools.

“The intention of this new project is to create more such schools in the country to fulfill the education requirements of the students in their own areas”, the Minister added.