(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –A Memorandum of Understanding for up-gradation of infrastructure in Plantation Schools was signed by Acting High Commissioner of India Mr. Vinod. K. Jacob and, Secretary, Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka Mr. N.H.M. Chithrananda in Colombo on 20 February 2020.
The project envisages up gradation of infrastructure of 9 plantation schools as identified by Government of Sri Lanka under an Indian grant assistance of 300 m LKR. It includes 6 schools in the plantation sectors of Central Province and one school each in Uva, Sabaragamuwa and Southern Provinces.
Government of India has been implementing several projects in the field of Education island wide, deepening India-Sri Lanka cooperation in the education sector. Construction and renovation of many school buildings in Northern Province is also being undertaken under Indian grant assistance. New school buildings in five schools were simultaneously handed over to the people of Sri Lanka on 15 January 2020.
India has constructed the largest University auditorium in Sri Lanka at the Ruhuna University. The Indian High Commissioner’s Gold Medals for the best performing students in the fields of Pharmacy, Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science at Ruhuna University were instituted in January 2020. India has also established Faculty of Agriculture and Engineering in Kilinochchi campus of Jaffna University. In addition, India offers 750 scholarships annually to the Sri Lankan students to study for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctoral studies in India and Sri Lanka.
These projects are in continuation of Government of India’s people-oriented development cooperation with Government of Sri Lanka. India’s overall commitment of development assistance to Sri Lanka stands at a total of around US$ 3.5 billion and among these, US$ 560 million under grants.
