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| Sunday, 24 July 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Quality improvement programme for schools The Government plans to carry out a total quality improvement programme for Navodya and National schools. This project will accelerate the upgrading of infrastructure with modern facilities at many Navodya, National as well as Central, Plantation sector and North-East schools. The quality improvement of Navodya and National schools will be carried out in two stages. The first stage will see the accelerated development of the school's physical atmosphere and will include projects such as carrying out minor repairs, installing name boards, construction or refurbishment of boundary walls, painting school buildings, landscaping and planting trees within the premises. The second stage comprises the provision of infrastructure which includes basic facilities such as water and sanitation, electricity and telephones; essential and other higher order facilities such as learning spaces, primary and secondary classrooms, play areas and toy units, administrative complexes, science laboratories and computer rooms, technical workshops, and aesthetic and geography rooms; and furniture, equipment and other educational material. The first stage will be carried out at a cost of over Rs 2460 million while the second stage is estimated to cost over Rs 2000 million. There will also be continuous assessments of the programme and training programmes for principals and teachers. The plantation sector has six National and 18 Navodya schools. Quality improvement programmes are already under way at 563 schools in the sector while no projects had been carried out in 270 schools. The project targets the development of 100 plantation sector schools; 50 schools in the Central Province, 10 in the Sabaragamuwa Province and 40 in the Uva Province. The project will also develop the school atmosphere, infrastructure, resources and the capabilities of teachers. The programme in the North-East will exclude the National and Navodya schools. It encompasses the development of the physical infrastructure of 50 schools, physical atmosphere, infrastructure and teacher training. ############ Systematic programme for Dhamma school education The Ministry of Buddha Sasana plans to set up a separate section within it to carry out the administrative functions of Dhamma schools. This step will help organise Dhamma school education on a systematic programme, Buddha Sasana, Law and Order and Public Security Minister and Deputy Defence Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake told a series of meetings and workshops recently. The Minister was addressing Heads of Dhamma schools and representatives of Pradeshiya Sasanaraksaka Mandalas. These workshops were organised with the objective of collecting the views and ideas of the Heads of Dhamma schools who had experience and knowledge in running such schools, as well as in teaching the Dhamma. These views and ideas could then be utilised by the Ministry when drawing up the systemic programme for Dhamma school education. Similar workshops will be conducted throughout the country. Minister Wickramanayake said arrangements will be made to declare Sunday as a day of Dhamma for all religions and that education on all religions would be treated equally without any discrimination, as the Government has accepted that Dhamma school education helps build a complete society. ############ 'Niko and Biko' for children The rehearsal sessions for the children's stage drama 'Niko and Biko' commenced recently at the Artisan Drama Training School. The drama, billed as one of the biggest children's dramas in the country, is directed by Buddhi Karunaratne and produced by Nandana Gunasekara. The script is also by Karunaratne, who has based the play on his own children's story 'Niko and Kuku'. The story brings forth the heroics of the police dogs Niko and Biko, who pursue some thieves that stole a treasure from the garden of butterflies. The main characters, Niko and Biko are portrayed by experienced actors, Susanga Kahandawalaarachchi and Priyantha Lalith. The other characters are brought to life by students of the Artisan Training School. The maiden show of Niko and Biko will be presented at the Elphinstone Theatre on September 10 at 3.30 p.m. and at 6.30 p.m. A limited number of tickets will be given free for the maiden performance. ########### Grade One admissions on the web The names of children selected for admission to National Schools for the year 2006 are now being announced by the Education Ministry via its website www.education.gov.lk. The Ministry is also sending the lists of names to the relevant schools, so that parents who submitted applications can know whether their children have received admission to these schools. The names were to be released to the web in stages. The releasing of the names started from the Colombo district, which has the highest demand for national schools. Over 70,000 applications were received for 238 national schools island-wide having Grade One classes. The Ministry inaugurated a new computerised scheme this year to centralise the admissions process, which began in March. The list of rejected applications will also be displayed on the web along with the reasons for their rejection. |
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