'Large funds allocated for education in North'

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has allocated large funds for the development of education and educational infrastructure in the country, especially in the Northern region, said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda.

He was speaking at the opening ceremonies at Vadamarachchi Zonal Education office complex and building complexes of Vadamarachchi Girls' Central College, Pt Pedro, Siththi Vinayagar College and Pt Pedro Methodist College recently.

Minister Douglas Devananda

All newly opened building complexes are two storeyed and each consists of a library, a training section, a laboratory, classrooms, etc. They have been constructed at a cost of Rs 60 million.

Vadamarachchi Girls' Central College building complex was constructed at a cost of Rs 5.6 million and the Vadamarachchi Zonal Education Office at Rs 24.6 million. The cost of construction of Siththi Vinyagar College building and Methodist College building stood at Rs 9.8 million and Rs 19 million. All these buildings have facilities catering to modern teaching methods. The funds for construction are from allocations by the Northern Provincial Council under Uthuru Vasanthaya programme.

The minister said the education system was almost completely destroyed during the war period and with concerted efforts taken by the President and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and assistance of Northern Governor Major General G A Chandrasiri, it is now possible to put education in the North back on track.

The minister added that whenever a proposal for a development project was submitted to the President, he never hesitated but allocated adequate funds for the completion of projects.

The minister said the officials of the Vadamarachchi Zonal Education Office underwent a lot of difficulties due to the lack of a permanent office and now they could look forward to working without any inconvenience. The second phase of this project too would commence soon, the minister added.

Speaking at the ceremony held at Methodist College, Minister Devananda said the school has done a great service to the education sector of our country in the past 125 years in producing eminent doctors, engineers and artistes. The new building of the school opened on that day was a mark of appreciation by the President for the commendable service the school had extended to the society.

The minister promised school authorities to provide the college band with musical instruments and other implements including chairs for the assembly hall.

Vadamarachchi Zonal Education Director Nanda Gopal said it was because of Minister Devananda's hard work that they were able to get the new building.