Yahapalana project to develop more than 1000 schools suspended

CTU says schools are currently in chaos due to incomplete buildings and rubble scattered in compounds

A gigantic project estimated at a cost of Rs.65,000 million to develop more than 1000 schools started under the Yahapalana Government is being dismantled, and construction work in schools halted.

The Education Times learned that the current Government has given notice to all contractors to discontinue work and go home, despite not having completed the work.

Around 700 construction sites have been wound up, and contractors along with their equipment are now leaving sites, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said.

The project which began in 2016, spanning four years, aimed to develop 500 buildings in 25 districts in the nine provinces, to upgrade schools under the programme ‘the nearest school is the best school.’

Under this the former Government planned to provide schools with modern classroom amenities and a suitable education environment for students.

It had also planned to build primary learning centres, science labs, technical buildings, sports complexes and dental health care units.

Major and minor scale repairs to school buildings were also proposed under the programme.

Meanwhile the work was not completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country last year.

Instead of being given additional time to complete their work the contractors have been asked to leave, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.

He said this has resulted in chaos in schools, due to incomplete buildings, compounds full of rubble, cement smeared floors and puddles of water that can breed dengue mosquitoes.

“Such ad-hoc decisions will result in losses as new contractors have to be signed up to complete the project. It is the tax payers’ money being wasted to appease the ego of politicians,” Mr Stalin said.