All students who study for the G.C.E (O.L.) examinations will have to study IT as a compulsory subject from next year as they have to study the subject to meet the present demand of the job market locally and internationally. The school curriculum will be amended soon towards this end.
Nearly 1,000 Government schools would be equipped with IT facilities at the beginning of next year. Nearly Rs.1,000 million would be allocated for this purpose by the Government for the next year, Education Minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
He said nearly 15,000 school teachers who are competent in IT related subjects would be recruited for the service of remote schools early next year. About 9,500 senior school teachers have applied to go on retirement by next year.
The Minister said there is a great demand for IT teachers locally and globally. Nearly 75,000 school leavers will be trained next year at a cost of Rs. 700 million by the Government under the guidance of well-trained senior school teachers.