May 14, Colombo (LNW): Only 6,000 out of 34,000 pre-school teachers and assistant teachers in Sri Lanka possess diplomas, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha disclosed today (14) in Parliament.
Highlighting the statistics, the Minister noted that there are 18,800 pre-schools across the country, expressing concern over the significant portion of teachers and assistant teachers lacking formal diplomas.
In response to a query from SJB MP Hesha Vithanage, Premajayantha remarked that the terminology employed, particularly the terms “Montessori” and “pre-school,” ought to be replaced with the more accurate term “Early Childhood Development Centres.“
He underscored the crucial role of Early Childhood Development (ECD) in education, citing examples from developed nations like the US and Japan, where ECD receives paramount importance.
Quoting a UNICEF report, he lamented the accessibility gap, revealing that 20 per cent of children who should have access to pre-school education are currently deprived of it.
