Annual Report 2008 - Ministry of Finance and Planning

2. Fiscal Developments - 2008
94
Box 2.4
Investing in Knowledge Based Education Contd.
buildings while spending Rs. 3,213 million for repairs and
modernizations of existing facilities. In addition, Rs.115
million has been spent to purchase furniture and equipment
such as photo copiers, fax machines, multi media projectors
etc. for these National Schools.
Navodya Schools: The number of Navodya schools has
increased from 504 in 2007 to 516 in 2008 with the intension
of upgrading more schools to have advanced level classes in
all three streams; arts, commerce and science. Also, a series
of programmes were implemented to develop physical and
human resources in Navodya schools with the intention
of improving the quality in education with professional
development of teachers.
Isuru Schools and Model Primary School Development
Programme: Hundred and fifty schools have been identified
to be developed to a level of apex school in selected
Divisional Secretariat areas with the intension of minimizing
high demand for national schools located in urban areas.
Construction work of 40 schools has been commenced by
providing funds amounting to Rs.642 million to Provincial
Councils. In addition, 66 principals and the entire staff have
been trained in Isuru Schools during 2008.
Moreover, infrastructure facilities of 60 primary schools
were developed under the Model Primary Schools
Development Project in 2008 at a cost of Rs. 415 million. Due
to these developments, the results of the year 5 scholarship
examination in these schools have shown a significant
improvement.
Based Society Project at a total cost of Rs 11,235 million.
Solar owered computers were also provided to 24 rural
schools where electricity supply is not available.
Human Resource Development
A significant increase in number of teachers in Government
schools was witnessed from 2005 to 2008. This has resulted
in improving the student teacher ratio from 21 in 2005 to 19
in 2009. About 3,586 new appointments were made to Sri
Lanka Teacher Service in 2008, while 754 graduate teachers
were appointed to Uva Province. Teaching in second
language was improved by appointing 3,799 Tamil medium
teachers to plantation schools in 2008. In addition, human
resources in the education sector of Eastern province were
also strengthened with the recruitment of Tamil medium
teachers. Further, 3,606 volunteer teachers were appointed
as Teacher Assistants. Action has also been taken to absorb
1,507 graduates to the school system through a competitive
examination while arrangements have been made to recruit
Moulavi teachers to improve the quality of religious education
in those schools. Moreover, action has also been taken to fill
the vacancies in the Sri Lanka Education Service, Sri Lanka
Principals’ Service and Sri Lanka Educational Administrative
Service during 2008. Accordingly, 492 officers have been
recruited to the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service
to improve the governance of school network. Meanwhile,
the approval of the cabinet has been obtained to implement
the National Teacher Transferring Policy with a view to
address the issues in service delivery.
Plantation School Development: Out of the total number of
830 plantation schools in the plantation areas, 115 schools
located in Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matale, Badulla, Kalutara
and Ratnapura districts were rehabilitated with adequate
sanitary facilities, electricity, water supply and furniture.
Rehabilitation work on another 29 schools has also
commenced during 2008.
Further, 150 schools have been identified to be developed
under Asian Development Bank (ADB) assisted Knowledge
Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka
Annual Report 2008