The Government will bridge the gap in the quality of education in Colombo and the remote areas ensuring a quality education for all, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday in Wellawaya.
The President participating in a scholarship program at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Conference Hall, Wellawaya said that the Government has taken several measures to reduce educational disparity.
Under the education development initiatives, more than 40,000 teachers have been recruited in the recent past aiming to increase the quality of education.
“The Government’s aim is to provide the same education available in Colombo to remote areas such as Wellawaya, Okkampitiya, Trincomalee, Mankulam or Kilinochchi.
In other words Government ensures equal education for all.
There will not be any disparity in the education at Royal College, Colombo or at a school in a remote area,” the President added.
He further said that when providing such quality education, various clever, talented people will come up. They will really be a resource to the country. For instance the President pointed out the veteran cricketer Muttaiah Muralitharan emerged from the Kandy area.
The President highlighted that the Government never reduced budgetary allocations for education since the Government has clearly understood the value of education.
“My Government is duty-bound to steer education on the correct path. In addition the teachers also have to do their maximum to upgrade the quality of education.
Their dedication and devotion is a must to provide a quality education always remembering that their’s is not a job but a service.
Above all it is an investment for the future,” the President noted.
The Government has also taken many steps to solve several issues of teachers while upgrading the facilities in schools, President Rajapaksa added. The President handed over 1,000 study packs for 1,000 students in the Wellawaya education zone. Each study pack contains study material, shoes, socks and many other school items. A pack costs Rs 3,000. The Muttaiah Muralitharan Foundation has funded the program.
Uva Province Chief Minister Sashendra Rajapaksa, Minister Jagath Pushpakumara and cricketers Muttaiah Muralitharan and Pramodya Wickramasinghe also participated.
Daily News - Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE in Buttala
