Education in Northern province to be revived

By P. Krishnaswamy

The Government and the Northern provincial administration implemented several far-reaching programs to help Northern Tamil Community to regain their lost educational prestige.

The programs were launched taking into consideration the fact that the educationally ambitious Northern Tamil community was deprived of opportunities in that field for three decades due to LTTE terrorism and also the fact that the economic stability of that region basically depended on education, Governor of the Northern Province Maj.Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri told the Sunday Observer in Jaffna. Provincial Education Director P. Vigneswaran and other senior educational officers were also present.

He said that they started at zero national level in education in May 2009 and have now risen to the seventh level. Of the 10 students who obtained the highest marks at the Year Five Scholarship Examination this year three are from the Northern province, he said.

Several programs were implemented under the direction and guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa who is the chairman of the Presidential Task Force for Northern Development, the Governor said.

The President visited Jaffna to open the Kopay Navalar Vidyalayam that was renovated with Rs. 8 million donated by the Uva Provincial Council, the distribution of 50 laptops to students who excelled in the 2010 A/L exams and to support other education-related activities, the Governor said. Considering the importance of laying a proper foundation for the educational development and competitiveness of the children, especially those in the age group of three - four, the Education Ministry of the provincial administration is imparting special training to teachers, including the pre-school teachers, he said.

Unlike in any other province, the provincial administration is paying a monthly allowances to 2,300 pre-school teachers. In the 2010 A/L exam 10 students from the North were selected for engineering and medicine on super-merit.

In appreciation of it he presented laptops to 50 students and the President graced that occasion, the Governor said. Quiz competitions will be held for all schools in the province and 20 schools will be selected for the first competition to be held in Jaffna, he said. Elaborating the education-oriented programs of the provincial administration, the Governor and the provincial educational authorities gave the following details:

The provincial administration took steps to make 713 schools fully functional in 2010 and this year the number rose to 914 schools. Only 548 schools were partially functioning in 2009. The remaining 111 schools will be reopened after rehabilitation and renovation of the damaged school buildings. In 2009 and 2010, new chairs and desks were distributed to 63,000 students.

This year new chairs and desks for 10,000 students and furniture for 2,000 teachers were distributed. Thousand bicycles were given to students travelling from remote areas, five buses to schools for students' transport and special scholarships are being given to students performing well in their exams. Around 3,673 students receive the Sisudiriya scholarship, 2,975 receive the President's scholarships while the Grade Five Scholarships are given.

Around 180,000 children were given mid-day meals during the past three years. In the last two years Rs.125 million and Rs.118 million were paid by the provincial administration for quality inputs to schools. In addition 484 selected schools have been paid over Rs.48.4 million for school development under the Northern Sector Development Grant (NSDG).

Medical clinics were conducted in welfare centres and resettlement villages to identify students who needed special care. Spectacles and hearing aids were distributed among such children. Educational units have been set up for such identified children and 325 teachers impart professional development training.

For the benefit of children who abandoned school education due to unforeseen circumstances, a non-formal education system has been introduced.

Of 2,015 students who received education under this system, 655 have been re-admitted to schools while 1,360 have been provided industrial/vocational training for enabling them to be gainfully employed.

A proposal to set up a industrial/vocational training institute in Ariviyal Nagar, Kilinochchi at an expenditure of Rs. 40 million has already been submitted. Measures will be taken for trainees to secure National Vocational/Industrial Training Certificates.

Thirty new science labs have been set up. Seventeen advanced science equipment and 140 ordinary science equipment and 40 mini-labs have been distributed among schools in the Vanni district.

In addition Rs. 5 million worth of science equipment, lab equipment and glass material have been supplied. About 315 teachers have been imparted training on professional development. Around 215 teachers have been provided training on educational reform.

Three hundred and twenty teachers received training to teach Mathematics.To enable the students to face the challenges of the present-day IT world and develop their knowledge and skills 135 ITC (Information Technology and Communication) centers were established in 135 schools in 2009 and 2010. Around 3,070 computers were distributed to 431 schools. Units with 304 computers have been set up in 76 schools.

All secondary schools have been provided five computers each and equipment. On a provincial level an IT training centre is being set up in Vavuniya. Rs. 7 milion is being spent every year for language skills development.

The provincial administration has provided incentives and facilities, including rehabilitation of damaged school buildings, furniture, transport arrangements, textbooks, science labs, computers, school bags, shoes, textbooks and midday meals to the students. Under the guidance and overall supervision of the Governor, much has been achieved in the field of education in the last 21/2 years.

Around 125 schools will be selected for development as popular secondary schools, under the national plan. Schools in the High Security Zones are now being rehabilitated, including the schools in Valigamam South.