PM launches project to supply 3,000 rural area schools with mobile science equipment

The inauguration of a pilot project to supply 3,000 schools in remote areas with sets of mobile science equipment was held at the Temple Trees on Thursday under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

A sum of Rs. 134,000 has been spent on providing the science equipment to a school which has grades 6-11. Science equipment and chemicals adequate for five years are included in the kit.

The kit has been prepared so that the students can easily carry out practical activities. The set of equipment was inspected by the Prime Minister.

Speaking at the event, the Premier said that instead of the society that was created as a result of the industrial revolution a transformation is taking place as a technology era. So it is required that Sri Lanka has to enter this technological revolution.

He said that a country with technological knowledge will advance forward and one without will go backwards.

He said the technological resolution has been started in Sri Lanka and the Government is taking it forward by providing basic knowledge of science to everyone. The next step to provide the basic scientific knowledge to every student in the country and as an initial measure the Government is providing scientific equipment to 3,000 secondary schools today.

Now the basic knowledge in science can be obtained by students of the schools which did not have the subject of science.

“As much as we are providing science equipment, science teachers will also be trained and taken forward and this will not stop here. We are beginning this year by providing science equipment. We will end the year by providing every Advanced Level student with a tablet,” the Premier said.

“These few steps will transform our system of school education rapidly towards technology, this is a task we will carry out,” he said.

Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and the principals of these schools also participated in the occasion.