Vocational training in schools

A programme has been drawn to provide vocational training within schools for students. This program will come into effect from February 11. Ananda Vidyalaya, Colombo will be the first school that will begin to provide the new program of skills development focussing on students who complete the GCE O/L and A/L from this year.This is being launched on the directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The project is implemented by the Education Ministry in collaboration with the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry.

Steps have been taken to sign agreements in this regard, ministry sources said. The project is meant for the benefit of students who fail to continue with their higher studies, they said. The sources said under the program, students offering subjects in the stream of technology and related subjects in the Advanced Level will be recruited from this year.

This program and the project comes under the supervision of the Sri Lanka Vocational Training Authority. Ministry sources said surveys have revealed that the number of students leaving school without completing primary education is high and each year close to quarter million students join the unemployed unskilled labour force.