SL secures US$ 400mn ADB loan to improve secondary education

Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S. R. Attygalle signed the loan agreement for the GOSL and ADB Sri Lanka Resident Mission Country Director Chen Chen signed on behalf of ADB

• Loan-funded programme to reform curricula, instruction, and assessment systems
• Also focuses on improving teaching quality and teacher training

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) yesterday signed a US$ 400 million loan agreement to support the country in transforming its secondary education system to align with the demand for highly skilled and agile workers who can compete in the rapidly changing global economy.

“We appreciate ADB’s support to Sri Lanka in meeting critical development needs while also assisting with the COVID-19 response programme of the country,” Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S. R. Attygalle said.

“ADB has been a long-term and a committed partner in helping to improve and modernise the education sector in Sri Lanka,” said Secretary to the Ministry of Education Prof. Kapila Perera. 

The Secondary Education Sector Improvement Programme aims to assist about 953,000 students annually, with skills that will benefit successive generations of students.

“ADB is pleased to partner with the government in its efforts to develop a knowledge-based economy and to address challenges facing the education sector in the COVID-19 pandemic,” ADB Sri Lanka Resident Mission Country Director Chen Chen said.

The programme will equip the young population with knowledge and skills in Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Commerce (STMC) streams, which are fields of high economic relevance for 
the country. 

It will enhance readiness for further education in STMC fields and foster competencies for higher productivity and  adaptability.

To achieve this, the programme will reform the curricula, instruction, and assessment systems to focus on practical application of knowledge and integrate cognitive and socio-emotional skills. 

The programme also focuses on improving teaching quality and teacher training given the importance of quality of teaching and method of instruction on learning. 

More than 47,000 upper secondary education teachers will be trained on inquiry-based and interactive learning approaches to increase student interest and engagement with subject content and inspire a love for learning.