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English education plan faces early opposition

07 Jun 2021

  • Ceylon Teachers' Service Union and Rathane Thera object

  • Set to begin as pilot project

By Buddhika Samaraweera   Following the announcement made by Ministry of Education (MoE) Secretary Kapila Perera last week that consideration has been given to providing English-medium education from Grade 1 at schools islandwide, various parties have raised their objections Speaking to The Morning, Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union (CTSU) Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe said that the Government’s plan to implement this programme is “totally unacceptable”.  “In any country, primary education should be provided in the mother tongue, especially in accordance with world-accepted standards. The decision taken by the MoE to provide education in the English medium in such a backdrop was not logical or scientific at all, and it was doubtful whether the decision was taken in the interest of any party.”  Jayasinghe further said that a formal programme should be implemented to restore the education system, which has been disrupted due to the prevailing situation, before the commencement of English-medium education.  “School activities have not been active for nearly two years now. No term tests have been held for students scheduled to sit for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level examination. Therefore, the Government should immediately intervene to solve those issues,” he said.  He further claimed that Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris had not discussed any such issue with the trade unions (TUs), adding that if such discussions are held, TUs' suggestions on possible steps to be taken to resolve these issues could also be submitted. Meanwhile, commenting on the Government's plans to provide school education in English from the primary level, Our Power of People's Party (OPPP) MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera claimed it was an attempt to convert Sri Lankan citizens to citizens of another country. “Students’ English knowledge should be developed, but primary education must be provided in the Sinhala language. There is no problem in teaching in the English medium after the GCE Ordinary Level Examination, but primary education must be provided in the mother tongue. Providing the entire education system in English or any other language in this manner would be the greatest harm that someone can do to the nation,” he said. Announcing the decision, Prof. Perera said that in the current economic climate, many requests have been received from parents whose children are studying in international/private schools to enroll their children in government schools. “The problem here is that those children are taught in English from primary to A/L,” he said. He also said that there are very few English-medium schools among government schools, and even in those, only a few subjects are taught in the English medium. He said that a committee of experts has been appointed to make recommendations in this regard, as a permanent solution should be found to the problem.  Prof. Perera said that after obtaining the recommendations of an expert committee appointed by the MoE, it is hoped to start English-medium schools at the provincial level as a pilot project, and to develop the Vijayarama Maha Vidyalaya in Udahamulla, Nugegoda as one such school. He further said that the same facility would be provided to students islandwide based on the success of this pilot.  “The focus is on the possibility of starting such schools as a pilot project in Colombo, as well as in every other Province. If the project is successful, it will be possible to establish English-medium schools in all parts of the country,” he said. Attempts to contact Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris to inquire about allegations levelled against him by the CTSU were unsuccessful.


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