Textbooks to be distributed before schools start next year: Minister

Arrangements have been made to ensure the distribution of textbooks among school children for next year before the commencement of the school year 2024, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

He said this during an inspection visit to the main warehouse of the Educational Publications Department in Pitipana, Homagama, from where textbooks are distributed to the regional centres islandwide.

The Minister also rejected the baseless alllegations spread by various interested parties who claim that school uniform materials will only be given to a limited number of students.

Minister Premajayantha guaranteed that both uniform material as well as midday meals will be provided as usual without any delay.

He added that the expectation of providing all these physical facilities is to cover the syllabus on time by the end of 2024, and restore all the academic activities that were disrupted during the Covid 19 pandemic.

When compared to last year, this year the school textbook printing was able to be done at a cost-effective and timely manner, where a saving of Rs. 4,000 million could be made to the State, minister Premajayantha said.

He added the State Printing Corporation (SPC) has even started making profits, and that in the future, printing of all school textbooks, exercise books as well as other Government documents will be given to the SPC for printing.

In order to ensure transformative education reforms in this country, the support and dedication of all these institutions and staff is imperative, the Minister added. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)