Pledge from Prez. to transform ignored education sector in next 10 years

• Asserts need for necessary changes in edu. system to support country’s development agenda
• Acknowledges lack of focus has led to sector falling back by 10-15 years
• Shares work underway to obtain necessary funding by early 2024 to uplift sector
• Says if funds allocated to failing SOEs were diverted to edu. sector, SL would be having best edu. system in South Asia

Sri Lanka’s education sector, which is not treated as a priority despite its importance, would receive fresh focus from the government, so that it gets transformed in the coming decade, President Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged. 

Acknowledging that local education is far from catering to meet the requirements of a developing economy, Wickremesinghe asserted the need for the sector to undergo the necessary changes in the coming 10 years, so that Sri Lanka does not fall behind its regional peers. 

“Our country needs a strong educational system and the most crucial aspect of this system is providing pupils with the necessary information. 

“We live in a knowledge-based society and if we can provide the necessary knowledge to everyone, the future development of our country will be confirmed,” he said while addressing the opening ceremony of Sri Lanka’s first skills and job exhibition - Skills Expo 2023.

The event was held under the theme ‘An Ability for Life - A Job for Ability’, at the BMICH yesterday.

Wickremesinghe pledged that efforts would be taken to uplift and modernise the country’s education sector, so that it creates a younger generation equipped with the knowledge and necessary skill set over the next 10 years. 

He went on to express confidence in the island nation’s ability to create a knowledge-based economy. While pointing out that Sri Lanka needs plans conceptualised to provide knowledge, needed are also plans to provide qualifications for jobs after providing school education, added Wickremesinghe.

He acknowledged that Sri Lanka’s education system has not been upgraded as much and therefore now lags 10-15 years behind. 

“The government alone cannot provide the necessary training to impart this knowledge. The majority of such training and knowledge is obtained outside the government. We must collaborate with private and international organisations that have this knowledge,” he said.

Accordingly, arrangements are being made to obtain the required funding to roll out the efforts in early 2024. 

He noted that had the funds used for the poor-performing SriLankan Airlines, the Ceylon Electricity Board and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation been diverted to the education and health sector, the education system in the island nation would have developed to become the best in the South Asian region.