Education Minister tells students:

Focus more attention on Science, Maths, Commerce

by Ananda Kannangara

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana last Friday encouraged Advanced Level students to focus more attention on Science, Mathematics and Commerce subjects, considering the employment opportunities in the fields of Science, Mathematics, Information Technology, Computers and Accountancy.

According to Education Ministry statistics, 53 percent of Advanced Level students presently study in the Arts stream, while 25.2 percent study Science and Maths subjects. The other 21.8 percent are in the Commerce stream.

Minister Gunawardana told the Sunday Observer that the percentage of students following the Arts steam should be reduced to 25 percent by 2015 and at least 45 percent encouraged to study in Science and Mathematics streams, while 30 percent take up Commerce subjects.

The Minister also paid special attention to the study of Information Technology and improving Spoken English skills by students, since they help students carry out their higher educational activities here or abroad.

The Minister also spoke on the 'Leadership Training Program currently being conducted for university entrants and said that all participants are highly confident of their achievements during the three-week training program as it will help mould their character as well as their future life style.

The Minister stressed that even schoolchildren from their tender ages should improve their leadership qualities to achieve their ultimate goals in the future.

"To fulfill this objective, all schools will be equipped with modern IT and computer centres and science laboratories," he said.

He further said special language centres will be established in schools to enable children to learn foreign languages in addition to English.