UGC to act against unlawful educational institutions

The Minister of Education and Higher Education Susil Premajayanth was interviewed by Sunday Observer staffer Anura Maitipe last week in respect of the controversy surrounding the Piliyandala Private Medical College and development of schools in rural areas.

Q: First I would like to draw your attention to the Private Medical College that had been set up in Piliyandala under the Board of Investment (BOI). This has created a controversy among University students and educationists and others. What are your comments on this?

A: This has been set up under the BOI in collaboration with the Tanzania University.This has not been recognised by the University Grants Commission as well as by the approval body of the Ministry of Health.

However, since this subject comes under the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Higher Education, we inquired from the Health Ministry about the legitimacy of this private Medical College. The Consultative Committee of Health Ministry informed us that it had not approved this private Medical College and the Ministry issued directives to this College to halt recruitment forthwith.

Q: What steps will your Ministry take to stop such institutions coming up in future?

A: The University Grants Commission will take legal action against such institutions.

Q: There is a big competition among parents to get their children admitted to National schools and how will you resolve this?

A: It is true it has become a major issue in the country. The Ministry has taken initiatives as promised under the Mahinda Chinthanaya to implement the Isuru School Development Project in the country. Government has approved Rs. 7.3 billion for this project.

In each divisional secretariat, a selected school will be upgraded to the level of a National School. Under this project 229 schools will be upgraded to the level of National schools by year 2010 and this will greatly reduced the prevailing competition for National Schools.

Q: Thr other key problem is the lack of trained Teachers for rural schools districtwise. What steps will you take in this regard?

A: In future we are planning to recruit graduate teachers directly from universities to the Graduate Teachers Training Program and this would help to increase the number of teachers to rural schools. In the meantime residents of that particular area will be selected to teach in those remote schools.

Q: What steps have your Ministry taken to mobilise Information Technology to rural schools?

A: Our aim is to provide Information Technology to all schools in the country. The Ministry has already launched a program to provide information technology to schools with Financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank. This program is in progress.

Q: What are the steps that you would take to upgrade the administrative process of the Schools?

A: We have noticed that School Principals are handling with more work in addition to school administration. This has to be reduced. We must entrust all non-administration duties to the teachers who have no time-table. Once it is done the Principal can involve in school administration. This will improve the quality of teaching and discipline of school children.

Q: Lack of Teachers to teach in rural schools have become a major problem. What steps will you take in this regard?

A: We have taken initiatives to obtain the services of volunteer teachers in rural areas and in addition to this, 800 graduate teachers will be recruited next year. These teachers will be posted to rural areas. A new batch of Science and English teachers passed out from training schools will also be posted to rural areas.

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