Education Ministry to develop 700 schools next year

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

The development of 700 schools under the 'Closest school is the best' will ensure equal education opportunities and resources for students. It will provide education for all, distribute resources and give an opportunity for students to pursue all subject streams from Grade 1 to 13, minimise competition for school admissions, check discontent among parents and find a lasting solution to the demand for popular schools.

In the backdrop of issues over admission of students to Grade 1, Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam in a policy statement in Parliament said the Ministry would spearhead the development of 700 schools under the 'Closest school is the best' to ensure that there would be equal education opportunities and resources for all.

The Education Ministry report on the progress and development for 2015/2016 was tabled in Parliament by Minister Kariyawasam.

He said the objective was to complete development of 700 schools selected by the Divisional Secretariat, where a maximum of two schools will be selected from each Division.

'The Closest school is the best' project would adopt new approaches to develop these selected schools. A system to select principals and teachers, use new technology for administration and development of schools, provide facilities for students from grade 6 in Sinhala and Tamil, implement at least 20 sports activities in schools parallel to the subjects taught, construction of a three-storied building to house the office, e-library, examination section and administrative unit and set up a gymnasium, sports grounds and swimming pools in schools, would be introduced.