School development project a failure: JVP

The JVP yesterday urged the government to immediately abrogate the project for the development of 1000 secondary schools describing the programme as a total failure. Addressing a news conference, JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said though the government claimed that 1000 schools had been selected for upgrading

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardane said all the schools were selected after a scientific mapping exercise, and therefore, nobody could dispute the criterion adopted.

under this project as modern secondary schools, the modalities adopted in this regard were not known to anyone.

Mr. Dissanayake asked whether the population density, geographical conditions and ethnic diversity in areas concerned were the modalities specified for the selection of schools.

"We know none of these factors have been considered. Schools have been selected on recommendations made by politicians. There are two fundamental questions arising from this project. There are 9, 800 schools in the country, and 1000 of them will be developed under the project into secondary schools covering three to five primary schools. Then, around 5000 schools will be covered totally. What

Were the population density, geographical conditions and ethnic diversity in areas concerned were the modalities specified for the selection of schools

ANURA KUMARA DISSANAYAKE

will happen to the rest of the schools? Will they be closed down?" he asked.

Also, he argued that the government had only US $ 350 million out of the total estimated cost of US $ 600 million.

"The government has no plans to find the remaining US $ 250 million.”