The program to hand over the ownership of land where estate sector schools are located was discussed in the Parliamentary Caucus for the evolution of the Malaiyaga Plantation Community. This discussion took place last week under the chairmanship of MP Velu Kumar.
Officials from the Ministry of Education, Provincial Education Department, Plantation Management Monitoring Division, Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, Janatha Estates Development Board, Elkaduwa Plantation Ltd., and Land Reform Commission participated in the meeting.
The chairman highlighted significant progress in the program of transferring lands where estate schools are located to the schools, due to the caucus’s intervention.
It was agreed that the Ministry of Education and Provincial Education Departments should complete data on the number of estate sector schools in Sri Lanka, the amount of land required for these schools, and the number of schools with specific land requirements by the coming week to confirm the accuracy of the data. The chairman mentioned that relevant land surveying activities can then commence.
Additionally, the caucus discussed amending the cabinet decision limiting land allocation for estate sector schools to a maximum of 2 acres, proposing a new cabinet paper to allocate land based on each school’s needs.
The officials also explained the provision of 60 smart classrooms for estate schools in Sri Lanka, funded through loan assistance from the Indian High Commission, along with 800 smart television sets and smart boards under the same assistance.
There was also an extensive discussion about the shortage of teachers in estate schools and the lack of schools offering Advanced Level mathematics and science streams.