It was proposed in the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education to establish a special unit within the Education Ministry to oversee and regulate international schools. The need to amend the existing legal framework was also emphasised here.
This was revealed during a meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, chaired by MP V. Radhakrishnan at the Parliament complex recently (June 8). There was a discussion about the international schools operating in Sri Lanka, the education provided by them and the improvement of its quality.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the National Education Commission is preparing the necessary criteria for the regulation of international schools and the other schools that do not exist under the Ministry of Education.
Matters were also discussed in the committee regarding teacher transfers as well as the problems of teacher advisors (In service Advisors), and the chairman of the committee instructed the officials of the Ministry of Education to take necessary steps to solve the issues.
Furthermore, the committee drew attention to the shortage of teachers in government schools, and it was revealed that there is a shortage of teachers for English medium and advanced level classes. Accordingly, the chairman of the committee instructed the officials to take necessary steps to solve the issue.
The committee’s attention was drawn to the quality of private tuition classes all over the country and the discussion in the society about the qualifications and quality of those teachers. Accordingly, the committee recommended to the officials of the Ministry of Education that it would be best toregulate private teachers and give them proper recognition for their profession. Since it has been revealed that in other countries a teaching licence has been issued to private teachers and professional recognition has been given for that profession, the committee further recommended that such a system should be followed in Sri Lanka as well.
Therefore, the Chairman of the Committee informed the officials of the Ministry of Education to pay immediate attention to the preparation of such a system and submit a report to the Committee on the steps to be taken to regulate private tuition teachers and give them professional recognition legally.
The members of the committee, Asanka Navaratne, Muditha Prishanthi, Manjula Dissanayake, Dr.Charita Herath were present in this meeting and the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, State Minister Kader Masthan and MP J.C.Alawathuwala attended this meeting with the permission of the Chair.
Officials from the Ministry of Education, National Institute of Education, Examinations Department and Association of International Schools of Sri Lanka (AISL) also participated in this meeting.