| Current Status and Issues |
 |
Being an organization inclined to address context-bound issues, the CED is cognizant of the value of an updated information system which provides a reliable data base to decide its advocacy priorities. In addition to direct consultation of grassroot level stakeholders and partner organisations, it retrieves information from apex bodies that command direction.
The key concerns of the CED, as recurringly highlighted by the partner organizations too, have to deal with reaching EFA goals, utilization of physical and teacher resources optimally, provision of facilitating and child-friendly learning environment in schools, promotion of managerial capacity of educational personnel and effective and accountable utilization of funds.
The priority advocacy issues are found to have radiated form seven epicentres. |
- Schools
- Teachers
- Pupils
- Curriculum
- Physical resources
- School management
- Financing
|
| Their rational relationships are schematically depicted in the sequel |
| |
| Schools |
| Lack of policy on a coordinated system of schools |
Lack of policy for the establishment and monitoring of private schools |
The establishment and location of schools in Sri Lanka have a historical origin rather than a rational origin resulting in an imbalanced education delivery system. The prestige accorded by the public to most of the popular, urban schools is also based more on historical acceptance than on their performance. This has created an undue demand for some schools over the others making them overcrowded and centres of competition for admissions. The repetition of vicious cycle makes them still more resourceful at the expense of the other schools which face the threat of being closed down. This is reflected by the fact that nearly one third of the student population have their schooling in 646, 1AB schools while only 8.7% are served by 3034 type 3 schools. Further 41% of schools have less than 150 pupils leading to wastage of resources. Existence of one teacher and two teacher schools entails multigrade teaching. |
The practice of permitting the establishment of schools under BOI and registration under Companies Act is inadmissible. Moreover in the future they may lead to a duality and a lingual divide in the education system. |
|
 |
- Establishment of a viable network of schools at each divisional level by creating or restructuring or networking of existing schools through:
|
| - |
Creating high quality child-friendly primary schools for children drawn from a catchment area of 3 km to be organised as feeder schools to secondary schools within a radius of 5 km |
| - |
Developing each year a specified number of quality secondary schools in each division |
| - |
Developing high quality secondary schools in the 100 poorest divisions by 2016 |
| - |
Developing schools with less than 100 students in economically and socially deprived and remote communities |
|
- Mapping out a legal framework to establish private schools
|
|
 |
- Policy leading to the establishment of a rational school system delivering quality education
- Policy with regard to the establishment of private schools including international schools
|
|
| |
Teachers |
| Teachers (2005) |
187,339 |
| |
|
| Graduate teachers |
51,929 |
| Trained teachers |
127,936 |
| Untrained teachers |
4,050 |
Trainee teachers |
1,489 |
| Other teachers |
1,935 |
| |
|
| 1 AB schools |
48,870 |
| 1 C schools |
57,233 |
| Type 2 schools |
62,856 |
| Type 3 schools |
18,380 |
|
| Student teacher ratio |
| Student teacher ratio (overall) |
21 |
| |
|
| 1 AB schools |
25 |
| 1 C schools |
22 |
| Type 2 schools |
17 |
Type 3 schools |
19 |
| |
|
| Boys schools |
26 |
| Girls schools |
26 |
| Mixed schools |
20 |
|
|
 |
- Lack of a clear teacher deployment policy resulting in teacher shortage in remote rural schools and surplus of teachers in urban affluent schools
- Lack of a clear policy for teacher recruitment
- Lack of a strong pre-service and continuous and in-service teacher development programmes to improve quality of teaching
- Need for motivating teachers on a recurring and regular basis and disseminating the good practices initiated at the school level
- Need to train, untrained teachers
- Lack of a policy for employing volunteer teachers
- Lack of consistency and coherence among the various education services in terms of entry criteria, training opportunities, career prospects, mobility across and between services, salaries and benefits and performance standards
|
|
|
- Formulation of a policy for teacher recruitment, teacher development and teacher motivation
- Implementing a reward structure for teachers
- Planning and implementing a teacher development programme to enable teachers to meet the demand for curricular reforms, to transform the teaching –learning process and to function as change agents in promoting attitudinal changes
- Developing capacity building programmes for educational personnel at all levels
- Framing a performance appraisal scheme for all educational personnel
|
 |
- Reviewing the work done by the TETD project
- Policy formulation for teacher recruitment and teacher deployment
- Establishing a comprehensive teacher development framework
|
|
| |
| Pupils |
Total number of pupils (2005) |
3,942,412 |
| |
|
| 1 AB schools |
1,243,851 |
| 1 C schools |
1,262,387 |
| Type 2 schools |
1,093,922 |
| Type 3 schools |
342,252 |
| |
|
| Male students |
1,964,355 |
| Female students |
1,978,057 |
| |
|
| Primary cycle (1-5) |
1,611,132 |
| Junior secondary (6-9) |
1,339,182 |
| Senior secondary (10-11) |
620,246 |
| Senior secondary (12-13) |
371,852 |
|
| Grade 1 admissions |
318,089 |
| 1 AB schools |
59,855 |
| 1 C schools |
91,719 |
| Type 2 schools |
100,753 |
| Type 3 schools |
65,762 |
| |
|
| Male |
161,793 |
| Female |
156,296 |
|
| |
| School avoidance (2002) by children aged 5-14 by province |
| |
|
| Total |
57,100 |
| Eastern |
34,846 |
| Southern |
8,883 |
| Sabaragamuwa |
5,523 |
North Western |
3,478 |
| Uva |
2,586 |
| Western |
1,031 |
| North Central |
380 |
| Central |
349 |
| (Source : World Bank) |
|
|
|
|
- Non-enrolment – A few percentage, especially belonging to poor and marginalized groups still avoid enrolment. The enrolment rate of the 11-14 age group is 95%
- Non-completion /Dropout – 17% of students who enroll do not complete compulsory education (5-14years)
- 95% of the enrolled complete primary education but the achievement in first language and mathematics is low
- Underachievement - Over 50% sitting the G.C.E. (O/L) do not qualify for senior secondary education. For them it is the exit point.
- Automatic promotions- The practice of automatic promotions, promote pupils who have not achieved minimum level of competencies at the previous grade. The accumulative effect is the abysmal failure at the point of exit.
|
|
- Implementing compulsory education regulations at primary level by activating School Attendance Committees
- Introducing special measures for children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Continuing free education and provision of welfare measures to all pupils
- Improving education for children with special educational needs
- Raising parental awareness about the importance of home environment for the education of children
- Extending opportunities for science education, especially in rural areas
- Initiating non-formal education programmes for adolescents who either have never enrolled in school or dropped out before completing basic education.
- Adoption of child-centred learning-teaching methods in school
|
|
- Implementing compulsory education regulations
- Education watch for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Educating parents
- Promoting child-centered learning
- Identifying out-of-school children and adolescents through a survey and strengthening non-formal education
- Promoting multi-media in the learning process
|
| |
| Curriculum |
Primary Level
The primary curriculum is integrated, activity based and aims at the achievement of a set of minimum level competencies at the end of each year. Though there is no strict subject differentiation, the activities are based on the following subject areas.
|
| Subject area |
No. of hours per week |
| Key Stage 1 |
Key Stage 2 |
Key Stage 3 |
| Mother Tongue |
5 |
5 |
5 |
| Mathematics |
3 ½ |
5 |
5 |
| Environment Related Activities |
5 ½ |
6 |
7 1 / 2 |
| Second National Language |
½ |
1 |
1 |
| Religion |
1 ¼ |
2 |
2 |
| English |
- |
3 |
3 ½ |
| Physical Activities |
1 2 / 3 |
1 ¼ |
1 |
| Activities related to pupil interests |
- |
- |
½ |
| Cocurricular activities |
½ |
½ |
½ |
|
| |
Secondary Level
The subjects and the number of periods per week for each for respective grades are tabulated below.
|
| Subject |
Junior Secondary |
Senior
Secondary |
| |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
| Religion |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Sinhala Language / Tamil Language |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
English |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
| Mathematics |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
| Science |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
| History |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
| Geography |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
Life Competencies and Citizenship Education |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
Aesthetic Subjects (Art/ Music/ Dance) |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
- |
- |
| Practical and Technical Skills |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
- |
- |
| Health and Physical Education |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
| Sinhala / Tamil (as second language) |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
| Library |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| * First Basket of Subjects |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
| † Second Basket of Subjects |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
| # Third Basket of Subjects |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
| Periods not allocated |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
| |
| * First Basket of Subjects |
- Geography
- Citizenship Education and Civil Administration
- Entrepreneurship Studies
- Classical and Modern Languages (Pali / Sanskrit / French / German / Hindi / Japanese / Arabic)
|
|
| † Second Basket of Subjects |
- Music
- Art
- Dance (Local/ Bharatha)
- Drama and Theatre (Sinhala / Tamil / English)
- Literacy Appreciation (Sinhala / Tamil / English / Arabic)
|
|
| # Third Basket of Subjects |
- Information Communication Technology
- Agriculture and Food Technology
- Fisheries and Food Technology
- Design and Technology
- Arts and Crafts
- Home Economics
- Typesetting and Shorthand
- Health and Physical Education
- Communication and Media Studies
|
|
| |
Grades 12 and 13 |
The curriculum in Grades 12 and 13 prepare the students for the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination which is also the selection Examination for Universities. The minimum requirements to enter a University are 1) Ordinary (s) passes in three approved subjects and 2) Scoring not less than 30% in the Common General Paper.
The University courses are categorized under four main subject streams. |
- Arts
- Commerce
- Biological Science
- Physical Science
|
|
| The approved subject combination depends on the course the candidate intends to follow. The approved subjects are listed below. |
Economics, Geography, History, Home Economics, Elements of Political Science, Logic and Scientific Method
Buddhism, Buddhist Civilisation, Hinduism, Hindu Civilisation, Christianity, Greek and Roman Civilisation, Islam, Islamic Civilisation
Art, Dance (Sinhala), Dance (Bharatha), Drama and Theatre (Sinhala/ Tamil/ English), Music (Oriental / Karnatic/ Western)
Sinhala, Tamil, English, Pali, Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Malay, Persian, Russian, Urdu
Accounts, Business studies, Business Statistics
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Agriculture, Mathematics, Combined Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics
|
|
|
- Low priority given to activity-based learning and teaching, technical subjects and personality development in grades 10-11
- Science education being limited to 25.6% of schools with grades 12-13
- Little progress made in introducing IT to schools
- Difficulties faced by secondary school leavers to fit into the world of work
- The moral behaviour of the child is not shaped to hold good citizenship
- Need for modernization and diversification of curricula at school levels
- Non-use of local physical environment in interpretation of the national curriculum
- Non-use of local personnel and expertise in the teaching process
- Promotion of School Based Assessment (SBA) as an in-built component of the teaching–learning process which is at low ebb
- Mismatch between the existing structure and proposed curricular reforms
- Trend to re-introduce a subject based curriculum at the G.C.E. (O/L)
- Delay in the introduction of Technical stream for the G.C.E. (A/L)
|
|
|
- Exploring the network of schools with facilities for G.C.E (A/L) Science and Technology education
- Formulation of a vision and guidelines to assist future curriculum development
- Orienting the curriculum to develop generic skills such as problem solving, self-regulation, self-efficiency, team work
- Promoting constructivist, cooperate and activity based teaching and learning at classroom levels
- Modernizing and diversifying school curriculum to match the world of work and wider range of aptitudes
- Paying attention to cross-curricular themes, horizontal and vertical subject links and minimum learning competencies in the design and development of curricula
- Building capacity of educational personnel facilitating the transformation role of the teacher
- Preparing up to date curricular materials both print and electronic
- Incorporating computer assisted learning
- Utilization of local physical and human resources in curricular transaction
-
Evaluating and promoting the practice of School Based Assessment |
|
|
- Making the structure of the system more flexible to harmonize with the proposed curricular reforms
- Advocating for a child – centered learning – teaching process at classroom level
- Exploring indigenous strategies and local resources to promote curricular transaction
- Integration of SBA in the school system as an integral part of the teaching –learning process
- Expediting the introduction of Technological stream for G.C.E. (A/L) classes
|
|
| |
| Physical Resources |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
| |
Province |
| Facility |
Western |
Central |
Southern |
Northern |
Eastern |
North-western |
North-central |
Uva |
Sabara
gamuva |
Total |
Number of schools |
1357 |
1466 |
1100 |
889 |
971 |
1224 |
781 |
830 |
1109 |
9727 |
Electricity |
1257 |
920 |
895 |
333 |
445 |
853 |
467 |
473 |
638 |
6299 |
Telephone |
555 |
178 |
180 |
76 |
125 |
160 |
69 |
83 |
121 |
1547 |
Water (pipe borne) |
567 |
335 |
361 |
39 |
137 |
94 |
75 |
177 |
204 |
1989 |
Water (well) |
646 |
238 |
397 |
607 |
464 |
716 |
465 |
204 |
242 |
3979 |
Water distribution |
904 |
393 |
436 |
270 |
236 |
427 |
144 |
239 |
391 |
3440 |
Activity room |
106 |
52 |
64 |
67 |
58 |
65 |
45 |
91 |
40 |
588 |
Commerce room |
18 |
10 |
15 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
4 |
17 |
11 |
91 |
Home science room |
438 |
191 |
248 |
60 |
69 |
201 |
87 |
116 |
188 |
1958 |
Agriculture room |
134 |
96 |
90 |
18 |
40 |
83 |
77 |
86 |
55 |
679 |
Computer room |
276 |
169 |
153 |
67 |
97 |
148 |
87 |
83 |
116 |
1196 |
Art room |
182 |
62 |
99 |
13 |
18 |
68 |
35 |
29 |
61 |
567 |
Music room |
418 |
162 |
158 |
41 |
41 |
142 |
63 |
81 |
112 |
1318 |
Dance room |
403 |
135 |
134 |
17 |
26 |
162 |
68 |
76 |
145 |
1166 |
Guidance room |
110 |
111 |
96 |
17 |
30 |
114 |
51 |
24 |
51 |
604 |
Staff room (adequate) |
169 |
62 |
78 |
22 |
22 |
42 |
20 |
22 |
55 |
492 |
Staff room (inadequate) |
413 |
361 |
300 |
233 |
228 |
228 |
152 |
157 |
261 |
2333 |
Other rooms |
148 |
78 |
86 |
5 |
30 |
51 |
69 |
52 |
75 |
594 |
Laboratories (6-11) |
412 |
287 |
298 |
110 |
148 |
319 |
183 |
256 |
220 |
2233 |
Science rooms (6-11) |
425 |
272 |
177 |
95 |
119 |
262 |
96 |
68 |
206 |
1720 |
Mini labs |
215 |
238 |
179 |
18 |
36 |
50 |
38 |
197 |
122 |
1093 |
Double unit labs |
55 |
33 |
56 |
13 |
14 |
40 |
25 |
35 |
26 |
297 |
Chemistry labs |
98 |
46 |
48 |
25 |
33 |
34 |
14 |
25 |
27 |
350 |
Physics labs |
97 |
47 |
47 |
25 |
32 |
30 |
16 |
20 |
26 |
340 |
Biology labs |
95 |
45 |
45 |
25 |
35 |
29 |
16 |
25 |
29 |
344 |
Agriculture labs |
13 |
8 |
13 |
4 |
5 |
16 |
6 |
9 |
11 |
85 |
Principals' quarters
(in use) |
103 |
434 |
61 |
34 |
75 |
64 |
102 |
207 |
112 |
1192 |
Principals' quarters (used for other purposes) |
49 |
213 |
78 |
39 |
78 |
84 |
159 |
140 |
112 |
952 |
Principals' quarters
(not in use) |
19 |
159 |
36 |
33 |
53 |
48 |
115 |
72 |
55 |
590 |
Teachers' quarters
(in use) |
157 |
348 |
151 |
48 |
160 |
166 |
306 |
315 |
187 |
1838 |
Teachers' quarters (used for other purposes) |
43 |
51 |
63 |
8 |
12 |
69 |
65 |
62 |
56 |
429 |
Teachers' quarters
(not in use) |
34 |
87 |
88 |
15 |
38 |
61 |
104 |
87 |
81 |
595 |
Boys' hostel (in use) |
11 |
13 |
8 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
66 |
Boys' hostel (used for other purposes) |
6 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
36 |
Boys' hostel (not in use) |
0 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
20 |
Girls' hostel (in use) |
12 |
12 |
11 |
2 |
8 |
18 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
83 |
Girls' hostel (used for other purposes) |
4 |
4 |
2 |
7 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
Girls' hostel (not in use) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
|
| N.B. Since some schools have more than one of the above items, the above numerical data do not directly reflect the number of schools without those facilities |
|
- Inequity and inequality in the distribution of resources – The allocation and distribution of physical resources on the basis of quantity have denied the remote, rural small schools their due
- Investment in education in the past was based on a single year budgeting framework rather than a long-term development plan
- The historical budgeting focused on old priorities rather than on new priorities such as higher order learning spaces like science laboratories, libraries, IT centres
- Absence of a public resource tracking system has contributed to continue the inequity
|
|
 |
- Rectifying the policy of allocation of resources so that the more disadvantaged get more resources irrespective of quantity
- Streamlining the production and timely delivery of textbooks
- Maintaining an updated database on the availability of basic equipment and facilities in schools
- Designing and implementing a special resource procurement plan for low performing schools
|
|
- Formulating a policy for equitable distribution of physical resources
- Production and timely delivery of textbooks
- Advocating for a facilitating learning environment for children
|
|
|
| |
| School Management |
| |
 |
Management Structure
|
| The present decentralized management organisation structure comprised five inter-linked layers: |
- The Ministry of Education (which functions as the Line Ministry)
- The Provincial Ministries / Departments of Education
- The Zonal Education Offices
- The Divisional Education Offices
- Schools (Provincial and National)
|
| Over-all Structure of Education Organisation |
 |
- The National Education Commission formulates National Policies on Education and reviews and analyses them periodically and where necessary recommends to the President changes in such policies.
- The National Institute of Education is the professional arm of the MOE. It bears the responsibility of Curriculum Development, Professional Development and Research in Education.
- The Ministry of Education ensures the implementation of National policy and programmes on Education and is in charge monitoring, supervision, evaluation and staffing of schools. The National Schools are directly managed by the MOE.
- The DEO & NETS conducts Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, G.C.E. (O/L) Examination and G.C.E. (A/L) Examination. It is also responsible for the School Based Assessment especially in Grades 10 and 11.
- Department of Educational Publication undertakes the publication of school textbooks.
Cadre Services in the Education System
- Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service
- Sri Lanka Principals' Service
- Sri Lanka Teachers' Service
- Sri Lanka In-service Advisors' Service
|
|
|
- Highly centralized, monolithic administrative structure concentrating decision making at the apex
- Delay in the delegation and devolution of governance to provinces and gradually to school level by way of School Based Management due to lack of a clear policy
- Lack of an efficient delivery of services, and an effective monitoring and supervision mechanism
- Lack of clarity with regard to functions among National Education Commission (NEC), National Institute of Education (NIE) Ministry of Education (MOE) and Provincial Ministries
- Coverage of a large number of managerial positions by acting personnel
- Lack of consistency and coherence among the various education services, such as the Education Administrators' Service, Principals' Service, Teachers' Service, Teacher Educators' Service and In-service Advisors' Service
- Inadequacy of professional preparation leaving a large number of principals without any kind of training
|
|
|
- Undertaking consistent policy development initiatives to address the relevant administrative issues
- Clarifying roles and responsibilities across and within agencies
- Preparing a road map for training and posting personnel in the education system
- Strengthening the leadership and management capabilities of principals and other middle level managers in schools
- Establishing consistency and coherence among various education services
- Developing a pre service and continuing professional development programme for educational leadership
|
|
|
- Advocating for consulting operational level stakeholders and frontline service providers such as principals and teachers in the educational decision making process
- Pressing to formulate coherent scheme to promote supervision at school level
- Establishing an information base to facilitate advocacy
- Posting competent and qualified personnel in the managerial positions on permanent basis
- Advocating for revisiting the present modes of preparation for leadership and designing a pragmatic leadership programme
|
| |
| Financing |
| |
 |
 |
|
- Low level of state education investment (hardly reaching 3% of GDP) even by developing country standards
- Non participation of frontline providers in the preparation of school level budgets
- Budgets prepared according to historical trends rather than present needs according to guidelines by the Finance Commission and Treasury with little flexibility
- Major portion of funds gulped by recurrent items; Development related funding takes back seat
- Equal fund allocation not giving equal outcomes
- On unit cost basis, primary education not reaching thresholds
- Lack of a norm-based and item-based unit cost resource allocation mechanism
- Duplication of resource provision owing to lack of proper coordination
- Lack of transparency in the utilization of educational funding
|
|
|
- Increasing state contribution at least to 6% of GDP for education
- Expanding opportunities for the participation of bottom-level stakeholders in budgeting
- Assessing needs and tailoring resource flows accordingly to get over the deep-seated inequities
- Increasing the transparency in the utilization of funds
- Promoting School Based Budgeting and harmonizing the channeling of funds accordingly
- Avoiding the duplication of funding by multilateral sources
- Promoting monitoring of funding mechanisms and utilization of funds with the participation of a broader spectrum of stakeholders including CSOs
|
|
|
- Advocating to increase the state contribution for education
- Activating pressure groups for the equity of fund allocation and lessening disparities
- Complementing the monitoring of utilizing quality inputs
- Advocating for the establishment of a single watershed fund for education
- Promoting public budget tracking with the participation of CSOs
|
|
