The Minister of Education G.L. Pieris says that the objective of new education reforms is to create through the system of education the children empowered with practical skills for overcoming the challenges using the logical intelligence and the analytical skills not being limited to the subject knowledge they acquired learning by heart.
The minister expressed these ideas at a special meeting held yesterday afternoon (31) at the ministry of education with the representatives of the Presidential Task Force established for new education reforms and curriculum revisions and with the education state ministers.
The minister further stated that the major attention drawn in the proposed cabinet paper on curriculum revisions is to create a more practical approach in education within the subject content and learning methodologies. In this task, the attention is drawn for providing the opportunities to the children for entering the education at different levels to learn Technology and Vocational education.
It was also discussed at this occasion about the activities already taken by the Presidential Task Force for designing a national education policy to suite the modern world and proposed developmental strategies and the plans. More than thirty government and non-government organizations have joined with the Presidential Task Force to assist in the future education plans. It was also pointed out that the target groups to be appointed to look into all sections such as pre-schools, general education, higher education and vocational education and how the Presidential Task Force interferes to take decisions to introduce more practical approaches for the development of all those sections.
The minister of education pointed out that the crucial problem prevailing in our education system at present in our country is the gap between the subject knowledge acquired by students and the job opportunities. He also pointed out the situation that the students have to face due to the long period they have to wait for university entrance after passing the advanced level.
The minister said that the modern vocational needs should be identified and then the subject knowledge must be imparted to children according to those needs and also the necessary reforms for that purpose must be done immediately within the education system. The minister emphasized that the Presidential Task Force has a great responsibility in this regard and the proposals obtained from the educationists, principals, teachers and parents at district levels and from the all stakeholders representing the system of education are also important for this purpose.
The State Minister of Skills Development, Vocational Education and New Innovations Dr. Seetha Arambepola, The State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities and Distance Education Promotion Dr. Susil Premajayantha, The State Minister of Women and Child Development, Pre-schools and Primary Education School Infrastructure and Education Services Piyal Nishantha De Silva and representing the Presidential Task Force The Secretary of Education Professor Kapila Perera, Dr. Anura Dissanayaka, Dr. Upali Sedara, State Secretary of New Innovations Mr. N.H.M. Chithrananda, State Education Secretary S.H. Harischandra, Additional Secretary of Higher Education Deepa Liyanage and some more officers had joined in this occasion.
