Parallel class for grade six, one of several new education proposals

This week the Cabinet has given approval to open an additional parallel class for grade six, to accommodate more students passing the Grade five scholarship examinations.

The proposal is among a series of other recommendations approved by the Cabinet to resolve the issue of student admissions to national schools. A proposal for the student number in each class to be increased to 45 is another proposal which has gained approval.

However, in view of a previous Supreme Court decision for student the numbers to be reduced to 35 due to congestion in classrooms, the proposal was made to refer the decision to the Attorney General to take necessary action to implement the proposal. During the Yahapalana Government attempts were made to reduce the number of students to 35 students in each class room due to difficulties faced by teachers when classrooms were overcrowded. A new marking scheme had also been introduced for students of parents who obtained annual transfers,

those who returned from overseas and those who shifted from one area to the other.

Children of MPs who had to relocate their families were also given preference in admissions. This would mainly apply to MPs who had been elected to Parliament this year from the outstation areas.

A quota for students of parents employed in the judicial service, medical services, education service, universities, Sri Lanka Education administrative service and other professional services would also be allocated.

Currently the country has 373 national schools, and most of these schools are reported to be overcrowded. Colombo and Gampaha have 18 national schools, while in Galle and Kandy districts there are 27 and 39 national schools respectively. The national schools have a high demand for student admission.