The government’s allocation to the education sector of the country has dropped continuously, Janatha Vimukthi Peramunu (JVP) Parliamentarian Bimal Ratnayaka told Parliament last week while quoting a text written by a student in Ampara, Mahaoya Kudaharasgala Secondary School.
The student had addressed the examiner emotionally in an answer script of his exam papers, which was later sent to Ratnapura for review. MP Ratnayake had received a copy of the script from a teacher in Ratnapura.
“Sir, there has not been a science teacher in our school for six years. Unlike other students, I do not ask you to pass me through the examination, but I am kindly asking you to send a science teacher to our school, so that at least my brothers and sisters who will sit the exam after me, will be able to pass the examination,” the text stated.
In the wake of wide sharing on Twitter about the student’s letter to the examiner, Ex-Chairman of the Board Of Investment, Dumindra Ratnayake had suggested a 100 percent salary increase to rural school teachers as a solution to these lapses in the education system of the country.
“Teachers don’t like to go to rural schools. The best solution is to give an allowance to teachers of rural schools. If the salary of the teachers of rural schools is increased 100%, it will become an incentive for teachers to serve in rural schools,” he has tweeted.
Joining the Committee Stage debate on the expenditure head on the Ministry of Education in the Budget 2019, the JVP parliamentarian revealed that the government has allocated 1.04 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the education sector.
“In 2017, it was 1.34 percent and 1.27 percent in 2018. According to the Committee on Public Finance, it is about 1.04 percent of the GDP. Allocations for education are being continuously cut by this government,” MP Ratnayake said.
He said, “Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera proposed to provide 14 scholarships to A/L students. It is similar to a reality show. There are hundreds and thousands of competitors and only one will get through it.”