Another Rs 2.3b needed for ‘Nearest School is Best School’ programme- MoE
View(s):The Ministry of Education (MoE) has appealed for another Rs 2.3 billion to complete projects related to the project of converting the nearest school as the best school.
“Due to the Finance Ministry’s delay in releasing the funds, a number of projects related to this programme have been held back or delayed, resulting in some of the contractors abandoning the projects,” MoE sources said.
Under the concept, the MoE planned some 15,122 projects to be completed next year, but to date, the MoE has completed only 13,884 projects, with 1,237 projects yet to be completed.
An MoE official pointed out that the stoppage of work has caused serious issues such as partly constructed buildings where the contractors and workmen have already left, forcing the MoE to call for fresh tenders in some of the cases.
The MoE has compiled a list of the total projects and the status of completing each of the sectors. Accordingly, of the 255 classrooms being constructed, only 160 has been completed. Of the 104 Teachers quarters being constructed, only 70 completed. Of the 162 Principals quarters being constructed, only 70 completed. Of the 418 Primary Resource Centres 418 being constructed, only 308 completed. Of the 3,796 Sanitary projects being constructed, only 3,206 completed. Of the 2,592 Units for the supply of electricity, only 2,077 completed.
- Damith Wickremasekara