President reviews plans for restructuring education system

• Directs officials to call for public debate on policy recommendations
• Stresses importance of futuristic education policy acceptable to all
• Highlights notable progress in online education

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday reviewed the current status of the National Education Policy which is being formulated at present, and insisted officials to place the recommendations for a public debate, prior to the finalisation of the report.

He made these remarks when the members of the Presidential Task Force on Education updated him on the current status of the formulation of the National Education Policy. The President’s Media said national education system is being restructured according to the theme of ‘Equal learning opportunity for every child’ as envisaged in the national policy framework, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’.

Recommendations covering from nursery, primary, secondary, higher and vocational education have been discussed. The President informed the officials to place the recommendations for a public debate at least two months prior to the finalisation of the report.

Highlighting the significance of the new policy, President Rajapaksa noted that the final document should be acceptable to everyone, as it would affect the country and the future generations. Furthermore, the President has instructed that the recommendations should be disseminated to the public via both print and electronic media, to consult their opinions and include them in the final document.

The Presidential Task Force noted that against all odds in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, online education method has achieved much progress. Despite numerous difficulties at the initiation, online system has been able to overcome technical issues and has succeeded. With the growing number of students from both universities and schools, the online education displays the potential for further improvement in the future.

President Rajapaksa stressed the need for promoting online education for higher education, based on these data. He has also instructed to make online arrangements to fill the existing teacher vacancies in English, Mathematics and Science. University Grants Commission Chairman Prof. Sampath Amaratunga said all the universities in the country have progressed through online activities and that Sri Lanka is ahead of India, Indonesia and Malaysia in online education.