President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says the current government expects to make drastic changes in education and development strategies.
He has further stated that the future generations should be equipped with wisdom, skills and proper training to overcome the challenges they would encounter in the rapidly developing world.
These remarks were made yesterday (07), during the ceremony held at Ananda College in Colombo to vest the newly constructed 7-storey building with the students.
“It is high time we forget that Sri Lanka is a developing country and come up with a proper strategy and vision to spearhead ourselves towards true development. The government possesses the correct vision and the plan for such development. We are just getting started and we have a lot to accomplish. We have done it before and we can do it again with unity and proper leadership,” President said.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has stated that it is time to set aside teacher and exam-centred education system for a student-centred education system.
He noted that the parents should not exhaust their children to succeed in exams from the day they enter school.
President further added that it was essential for the students not only to get through exams but also to form a balanced individual who would actively contribute to the economic and social development in the country.
President went on to note that with the decision to increase enrolment of university students, it is one of his priorities to establish a qualitative and advanced tertiary education system for them. President added that the 21st century is called the century of wisdom. President stated that Sri Lanka is blessed with an educated labour force that is only confined to the manufacturing industry and it should be utilized efficiently.
The press release issued by the President’s Media Division (PMD) mentioned that “Sath Mahala” is the first ever 7-storey building constructed in a school in Sri Lanka. The construction of the building commenced on the 1st of January 2015 with the patronage of the former Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardana. The building, constructed at a cost of Rs 620 million comprises of 44 classrooms, a science lab, IT lab, staff room, medical centre, aesthetic rooms and the main library. This was a historic occasion as the first and only Executive President produced by Ananda College declared open this new building.
Upon his arrival, the president presented floral offerings to the College War Memorial in remembrance of the fellow Anandians who sacrificed their lives for the motherland and it was followed by offering flowers to the statue of Henry Steel Olcott to commemorate the founders of Ananda College.
