President appoints Education Task Force to deal with interruptions due to COVID-19

• 26-member Task Force made up of senior administrative officials, VCs of all State universes, school principals
• Task Force to recommend proper operation of examination activities and curriculum of students after clearing backlog of work due to ongoing interruption
• Strategies to conduct student education activities without interruption under distance education to be studied

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a 26-member Presidential Task Force on Sri Lanka’s Education Affairs to recommend mechanisms to ensure continuity in the education sector without any setbacks whatsoever in the context of the coronavirus epidemic situation, while also recommending methods to modernise primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors in Sri Lanka in keeping with contemporary needs. 

The Task Force has been asked to look into ways of introducing and implementing mechanisms necessary for the proper operation of examination activities and curriculum of students after clearing the backlog of work that has occurred due to recent interruptions to primary, secondary, and tertiary education activities, and introduce and implement strategies to conduct student education activities without interruption under the distance education concept during this time period.

The Task Force will also identify activities to broaden vocational and skills education opportunities and introduce and implement innovative solutions to improve skills and competencies compatible with the job market and formulate a program to expedite new enrolments to universities and expand higher education opportunities by extending distance learning opportunities to such students as well.

It will also recommend measures on introducing and implementing training mechanisms, including education techniques that enhance the quality of education sector, and direct students to subjects in line with topical requirements.

The President directed all public officers and other persons to whom the said Task Force may issue instructions or from whom assistance for provision of services may be requested to comply with all such instructions and render all such assistance and furnish all such information as needed by it.

The Co-Chairpersons of the Task Force are Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Secretary D.M.R.B. Dissanayake and Ministry of Education Secretary N.H.M. Chithrananda, while Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Additional Secretary Deepa Liyanage is the Secretary of the Task Force.

Its other members include secretaries to several ministries, vice-chancellors of all State universities, and principals of several leading schools.

The Task Force will periodically present reports to the President.