Education Minister Akila Viraj refutes claims of private schools being encouraged

Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariywasam has disputed claims by MP Bandula Gunawardana that the Ministry was encouraging the establishing of private schools through a circular.

“The recent circular says that semi-government schools which plan to establish new branches must obtain approval from a special committee in the Education Ministry,” Minister Kariyawasam was quoted as saying in a statement.

He noted that this special committee would consider whether there was a need to establish branches of semi-government schools. Adding that the teachers for the required branches would not be appointed by the Ministry.

As of now, only 80 semi-government schools are registered with the Ministry of Education. Some schools receive partial funding by the government while some schools are funded independently.

The Education Minister said that some 12,000 students would lose their schools if the government had decided to halt the functioning of branches belonging to semi-government schools.

(Reporting by Damith Wickramasekara)