June 01, Colombo (LNW): Education Minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha emphasized the importance of prioritizing extracurricular activities over endless examinations in primary education. He stated that children in primary grades should focus more on extra-curricular and co-curricular activities rather than purely academic pursuits.
“Engaging in extracurricular activities like sports helps build a balanced personality and produces a healthier group of children,” he remarked.
Dr. Premajayantha announced plans to reduce the number of examinations for primary grades and to enhance practical study activities within the classroom. These comments were made during his address as the chief guest at the award ceremony for the under-15 and under-17 cricket tournament organized by the Sri Lanka School Cricket Association at the Nelum Pokuna Theater.
The Minister also highlighted the resumption of school sports matches that had been missed due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that significant effort had been made to conduct and complete these events properly.
In support of school cricket development, the government has allocated Rs.1,000 million from the budget. This funding will be used in the coming months to improve school stadiums and cricket turfs and to provide necessary sports equipment.
“School cricket, an extracurricular activity, is being promoted with support from the Sri Lanka Cricket Association, as schools are a crucial breeding ground for talented cricketers in the country,” he added.
