brand logo

Larger schools to be  leads in cluster system

01 Nov 2022

  • 1,200 clusters to be identified by January
  • Aimed at exchanging physical, human resources among nearby schools
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Instead of the “national schools” concept, a project will be implemented in the future to establish “cluster schools” with a method of exchanging physical and human resources between several schools located near each other, and with national schools and other schools taking the lead at the helm of the clusters, said Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha. “National schools and other schools are also likely to become the lead schools of this cluster of schools. Through this concept, in the future, we can see a common formal classification of schools as primary schools, junior secondary schools, and senior secondary schools. This will make the school system more developed under the required standards and criteria," he added. Speaking during a programme yesterday (31), he said that he has always been against the concept of national schools, which divides the society, as a matter of principle. Accordingly, instead of the national schools concept, he said that a number of nearby schools have been planned to be merged based on the students’ needs, and to thereby form “cluster schools”. “By next January, it is possible to identify about 1,200 such school clusters islandwide. We hope to prepare a process to exchange physical and human resources through an inter-management process, in such a cluster of schools. Through this method, an efficient and cost-effective mechanism will be prepared to fulfil the needs of the students,” he mentioned. Through the implementation of the concept of “cluster schools”, Dr. Premajayantha said that every student will receive undivided attention, adding that there will not be any isolated schools in the future. He also said that this concept will be implemented by the National Education Reform Centre established in the Education Ministry, and the Provincial Education Reform Centres. Early this year, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) pointed out that the decision taken by the Education Ministry to designate a large number of schools under Provincial Councils (PCs) as national schools without properly placing them under the Central Government could lead to a crisis regarding the administration of those schools. CTU President Priyantha Fernando said at that time that national schools must be under the control of the Central Government and that most of the 876 schools across the country selected by the Education Ministry to be designated as national schools are, however, under PCs.


More News..