Student loans, Laptops for undergrads, Rs 6,000 Mahapola scholarship, 6% GDP for Education sector: Party Manifestos

With Parliamentary elections nearing, the 3 major parties have launched manifestos that include a number of changes to be implemented in the Education sector.

The ruling United National Party’s ( UNP) manifesto states that it will make it compulsory for all students to complete 13 years of school, Education and by introducing Vocational Training subjects for the GCE Advanced Level (A/L), it hopes to encourage students with low marks at the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) to continue with their studies.

Among the party’s plans are to set up a School Monitoring Board and introduce a School Education Act to replace the Education Ordinance.

The manifesto states that the Education Minister will not be able to change the timetables of National exams without the approval of Parliament. The maximum number of students per classroom will be gradually reduced to 35 within 5 years. It intends to systematically reach allocating 6% of GDP for Education.

Setting up of a National e-library, 18 Colleges of Technology islandwide, a new University Education Council, encourage Postgraduate research by establishing an institute similar to the Asian Institute of Technology, and an Agro research institute, interest-free and easy payment schemes for undergraduates to purchase laptops, are some of the areas addressed by the UNP manifesto.

While the UNP manifesto intends to regulate by introducing policies, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in its manifesto has many financial assistance schemes from student loans to monthly payments.

It pledges Rs 50,000 financial assistance for those between 18 and 25 years, for their higher education. All university entrants to be given Rs 10,000 each, to purchase educational material. Increase Mahapola scholarships to Rs 6,000.

On-the-job training for graduates in the public and private sector, with a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 each for trainees.

Those who fail to qualify for university entrance are offered student loans up to Rs 200,000 to complete their studies, while unemployed undergraduates at Open universities will be entitled to a transport season ticket, states the UPFA’s manifesto.

The People’s Liberation Front ( JVP) pledges to introduce a National Educational Policy within a year, introduce a TV channel dedicated to Education, discontinuing school homework for Grades 1, 2 and 3, digitalising of classrooms and provide a laptop for each undergraduate in its manifesto.

The JVP manifesto also calls for the removal of import tax on school transport buses and vans, proper counselling training for school teachers, with one trained teacher in each school, additional payment of 50% of basic salary for teachers in remote schools.

The party intends to introduce 9 new streams for the A/L, apart from the traditional Science, Maths, Commerce and Arts streams, such as Social Science, Technology, IT and Sports streams.

Opportunities for school teachers to follow Postgraduate courses, for 500 local graduates to follow Postgraduate studies in foreign universities, reaching 6% of GDP allocation for Education are some areas mentioned in the manifesto.

All 3 major parties have vowed to financially support preschool teachers, encourage Information Technology education in schools and training for graduates.