Education compulsory for children eligible to attend school: MoE
View(s):The Ministry of Education (MoE) this week will issue directives to schools to make Education compulsory for children eligible to attend school. Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told Education Times that a circular to this effect will be issued under the existing laws of the MoE.
The directive will require every school to appoint a Committee, to identify children in the area, who are of eligible age to attend school, but not doing so due to various reasons including poverty or medical reasons, and inform the Ministry.The Ministry will refer the matter to the closest Zonal Director who, in turn, will arrange to identify the nearest school and ensure the child attends that school.
The Chairman of the School Committee will be the Principal, while sectional heads from Grade 1 to Advanced Level classes, 2 other teachers, 2 past pupils, 2 parents, a prefect and a development officer of the area, will constitute same. Each school will be assigned an area to be in charge of.
A previous survey conducted last year revealed that 12,751 children who should have been attending O/L classes, were studying at home, 7,537 skipped school to help in the family business, 6,610 children engaged in various professions, 4,913 children failed to attend school as they found it difficult to find a school, 77,730 students showed no interest in continuing their education, while 32,821 cited other reasons for not attending school.
Mr Kariyawasam said the studies will be useful for Govt plans to make education compulsory up to A/Ls. - Damith Wickremasekara