(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The government is preparing to spend Rs. 98.25 billion for the program to establish 1,000 national schools covering all districts in the island.
At present there are 373 national schools in operation and the number of such schools will be increased to 1169 under the new project. These schools will be established in each Divisional Secretariat Division with a maximum of 3000 students per school.
Policy approval has been granted by the Cabinet of Ministers on the 10th December 2019 to implement an appropriate program to establish 1000 new National Schools covering all Divisional Secretariats.
Accordingly, the program is planned to be implemented in three phases.
Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris has presented a proposal to develop one selected Provincial Council school as a National School in each of the 123 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in which there are no National Schools as the first phase. In this phase, Rs. 100 million per school will be invested at a cost of Rs. 12.3 billion over a three-year medium term framework.
Under the second phase, 673 schools will be selected in addition to the existing National Schools and Provincial Council Schools under development, and upgraded at a cost of Rs. 67.3 billion.
Under the third phase, Rs. 18.65 billion will be invested at a cost of Rs. 50 million per school for further development activities in the 373 national schools currently in operation.
The cabinet of ministers has approved the proposal tabled by the Minister of education.
