'Special funding for secondary schools'
The government will provide special funding for the development of
the 1,000 secondary schools in the country through the Budget, said
Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena when he attended a commemorative
meeting to mark the 127th birth anniversary of the father of Free
Education Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara at the Colombo Ananda College Kularatne
Hall recently.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has paid special attention towards the
provision of laboratories, language and Mathematics halls, and Fine arts
and sports facilities to schools under the 1,000 secondary schools
Development programme, he added. The minister said prior to the
introduction of the Free Education system, there had been a temple based
education system in the country as evidenced by the mighty irrigation
systems and creations, such as, the Sigiriya fortress.
During the colonial period, the missionary system of education spread
in the country due to foreign influence. Farsighted national leaders
tried to protect and preserve our indigenous education by setting up
Buddhist schools in the country.
The Central schools system introduced by C.W.W. Kannangara under his
free education policies brought about a fundamental change in the system
of education, the minister said. |
