With a view to meeting the subject-specialist teacher shortage in national and provincial schools, 4,286 diploma holders of Colleges of Education, were recruited to the teacher service yesterday at a ceremony held under the patronage of Prime Minister at Temple Trees yesterday.
Addressing the new teachers, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the National Colleges of Education were established according to his concept since he believed that only trained teachers should be in the school system. The government has been allocating much funds for the upgrade of teaching expertise in the school system as the future of the country defends on the quality of education. He said that a few more National Colleges of Education should be established to train science teachers.
The Prime Minister urged the new teachers to render their maximum effort as teaching was not mere a profession but a social service as well.
Of these 4,286 diploma holders, who have undergone a three-year Diploma Programme at 19 Colleges of Education, 2,340 are Sinhala medium teachers, 1,300 are Tamil medium and 646 are English medium teachers. These teachers will be deployed for teaching 31 subject streams in Provincial and National schools.
The Education Ministry has taken several measures to end the teacher shortage during the last fours with the aim of ensure equal education for everyone.
Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said that two more National Colleges of Education will be established soon to provide necessary cadre of teachers for the schools system. The Cabinet paper in this regard will be submitted to the Cabinet soon, he added.
(Daily News)