Many schools ear marked for the current Government’s 1000 national schools project have not obtained funds to run the establishments. It is learnt that several schools have been refused funds for this year from their respective provincial councils, while the line ministry which absorbed the schools, failed to allocate said funds. “The schools are in [...]

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1000 national schools project: Many schools in limbo after not receiving funds

By Chrishanthi Christopher
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Many schools ear marked for the current Government’s 1000 national schools project have not obtained funds to run the establishments.

It is learnt that several schools have been refused funds for this year from their respective provincial councils, while the line ministry which absorbed the schools, failed to allocate said funds.

“The schools are in a limbo, not getting any funds from the provincial councils or the Education Ministry,” the National Principals Union claimed recently.

Union President Mohan Weerasinghe said some of these schools are undergoing untold hardships with no funds for administrative and other expenses.

The 1000 national schools programme was a brainchild of former Education Minister G. L. Peiris, which aimed at meeting the increased demand for student admission to national schools. The increased demand stems from the general perspective of many parents that national schools are better equipped to provide better education to school children.

The programme, designed under the current Government under the “Vistas of prosperity and splendour”, was to be allocated Rs 12.3 billion over a three year period.

The project was granted Cabinet approval in January last year, and was planned in three stages–including the establishing of at least one national school in 123 divisional secretariats.

Under the first phase, Rs one million each was granted to certain schools to construct a name board with a gate and another Rs. one million was given to around 300 schools to purchase computers, photo copying machines and other required equipment.

Under the second stage, 673 schools that were selected under identified criteria would be upgraded to national school level, and under the third stage the 373 existing national schools would be developed, gaining better facilities and infrastructure. All of these schools would be developed under internationally accepted criteria to produce technologically advanced youth for the workforce.

Under the third phase, training programmes would also be conducted for selected school principals on a provincial basis.

Last week a four-day training programme was conducted at the Kurundeniya Training Centre in Kandy where participants had undergone severe hardship in finding food and lodging at their own expenses.

This week another set of principals had been selected for training. However this time the course would be conducted online, but they would have to use their own devices and data with no assistance from the education department.

Last January, the first school under the project–Siyambalanduwa Maha Vidyalaya in the Monaragala district–was opened by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

However, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said the programme was “absolutely useless” and was only aimed at reducing the powers of the provincial councils and make the 13th Amendment redundant.

A union member said taking schools away from the PCs and making them national under the line ministry would create a perception that provincial school education was substandard.

They also said this would create a disparity in the status quo of students, by bringing in discrimination to society.

They added that there are 10,164 state run schools of which 3000 schools in the provinces have a student population of less than 100 children.

CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said around 60% of the children would enter national schools and only those beneath the poverty line would go to provincial schools.

He said this would once again create a class difference with many rural children falling back on their education.

“Why cannot the Government upgrade all schools so all students benefit?” he asked.

“If this continues education in this country will fall.”

CTU Secretary Theeban Arokiyanathan said the project had no provincial council representation and was being executed by the military.

“In the east it is Pillaiyan who has been assigned to handle the project,” he said.

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