10 model schools to be set up to accommodate students from all faiths

On an initiative made by Western Province Governor Azath Salley, 10 model schools will be set up to accommodate students from all faiths to enable the children to study in a conducive classroom environment supported with goodwill and understanding among them. 

Addressing an audience comprising Provincial Director of Education P. Sirilal Nonis, Secretary to the Ministry of Education T. Wijebandu, principals of schools and representatives from the respective school development societies, Salley said that in consultation with the Provincial Ministry of Education, he has selected 10 schools in the Western Province to be upgraded as model schools. 

The schools that will be upgraded to the standard of model schools will include Lindsay Girls’ School, St Clare’s School, Arethusa College, Wellawatte, Kotahena President’s College, St. John’s College; Mattakuliya, St. John’s College, Dematagoda, A.E. Gunasinghe Maha Viyalaya, St. Mary’s College Polwatte, S. De. S. Jayasinghe Central College, Dehiwala and Ilukovitha Vidyalaya, Homagama. 

Stressing that education in the Western Province is his priority, Salley said he hailed from D.S Senanayake College, where students moved with one another without showing any differences in relation to religion or language. 

“We want to create the same environment in the new model schools, where children move with their mates as members of one family,” he said, adding that it would be a great opportunity for the students to learn one another’s culture, religion and their lifestyles.

The Governor further explained that the selected 10 schools would continue to accommodate girls/boys/ mixed, according to the present composition of the respective schools. He also said that additional facilities, adequate tutorial staff and administrative staff would be provided to these schools to accommodate the new arrangement. He added that there would be a uniform theme colour for all these model schools to distinguish them from the other regular schools. 

Principals of the selected schools welcomed the proposal and pledged that they would give their best cooperation to the Provincial Ministry of Education to implement the project successfully.