March 12, Colombo (LNW): The Cabinet Committee tasked with formulating and executing a National Education Policy Framework (NEPF) has put forth a proposal to augment the number of schools offering education in the English medium.
As reported by the President’s Media Division (PMD), this proposition was deliberated upon during a session of the NEPF Committee chaired by President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Office.
The Committee noted that despite the introduction of eight English medium subjects in schools since 2000, only 765 schools currently offer instruction in English medium, a figure deemed inadequate given the substantial demand for English medium education in society.
In response, the Committee proposed increasing the number of schools offering English medium education to 1,000 by the year 2025, with the objective of accommodating approximately 200,000 students.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe directed the immediate recruitment of 2,500 new teachers to facilitate the swift implementation of this initiative.
In light of the urgency, the President also advised the expedited hiring of 1,000 retired teachers proficient in English medium instruction on a contractual basis for three years.
Additionally, the directive includes recruiting 1,100 graduates proficient in English medium teaching through an open competitive examination, along with 400 College of Education (Vidyapeeta) teachers set to graduate from Colleges of Education providing training in English medium teaching.
The NEPF Committee, comprising eight ministers including Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Education Minister Susil Premjayantha, underscores education’s pivotal role in contemporary economic transformation.
It focuses on short-term and medium-term strategies to revamp the education sector, with particular emphasis on addressing immediate challenges.
To this end, a Bill establishing a National Council for Teachers, aimed at enhancing teacher participation in decision-making and elevating the professionalisation of teaching services, will be presented to the Council of Ministers and subsequently to Parliament within a month.
This legislation aims to enhance the status of the teaching profession, introduce a comprehensive professional development framework, and reassess teacher salary structures to align with emerging professional standards.
Moreover, the Committee has decided to issue a Certificate of Completion to every student, effective from this year, to recognise various skills and subjects mastered during their schooling, in addition to the school leaving certificate currently provided upon completion of junior and senior secondary education.
