Political interference especially at provincial level have badly hampered the smooth functioning of the education sector, Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said. “Such interference has affected many sectors in the education field, such as, teacher transfers, placement of qualified principals, fulfilling teacher shortages etc. Education Minister Kariyawasam said so addressing Provincial and Zonal education Directors at Isurupaya yesterday.
The ‘Annual report of quality assurance in school education 2016’ was presented to the minister on the occasion.
The Minister added that as a result of the negative aspect of political involvement, the overall effectiveness of the education sector has seen a decline which makes it difficult to achieve the desired goals and objectives.
“We recruited 3,901 principals throught a proper selection process including the holding of an examination after several years. These selected principals underwent a training and the Ministry even sent some of them for foreign training.
However, they have not been placed in schools by the Provincial Councils,” he said. The Minister added that at least 10 per cent of these selected and trained principals have not been placed as principals. “No matter how much we push, there is obstruction at the provincial level. I am really unhappy with this situation. If this be the case,it is needless to talk on the quality of education,” Minister Kariyawasam said.
However, the Minister added that this issue should be overcome through a collective effort of both the Education Ministry and education officials at provincial level.
The Minister added that he has to fight against the mafia in the Education Ministry itself. Accordingly, the Minister has been trying to purchase furniture for smart class-rooms for a certain period and to overcome the obstacles put forward by the Education Ministry mafia. Minister Kariyawasam further added that it has been revealed that the Wayamba Provincial Council offered teacher appointments to persons on a political list. Education State Minister V.S. Radhakrishnan said that there should be a top to bottom approach to improve the quality of the education sector. “When I visited a school in the Central Province recently, I was informed by certain teachers that a certain zonal education officer is very often under the influence of liquor while on duty,” Radhakrishnan said.
“How can we maintain the quality of education, which we are all duty bound to do. The poor quality of education directly affects the future generation,” he added.
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