Proposals for a National Policy on General Education in ...

Raising the Quality of Education

Proposals for a National Policy on General Education in Sri Lanka

NATIONAL EDUCATION COMMISSION NAWALA ROAD, NUGEGODA SRI LANKA 2016

First Published 2016 National Education Commission 2016 ISBN 978-955-9448-49-5

Published by National Education Commission 126, Nawala Road, Nugegoda Sri Lanka. .lk

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................. V ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................................................................ VII EXTRACTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COMMISSION ACT. NO. 19 OF 1991 X MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COMMISSION..............................................XII MEMBERS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON GENERAL EDUCATION .................. XIII INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1

National Goals .................................................................................................................................. 3 Guiding Principles ........................................................................................................................... 4 Proposed Structures and Legislation to Implement Policy........................................................ 6 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT................................................................................................... 14 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 14 Trends in Curriculum Development ........................................................................................... 15 Issues in the Curriculum Development in Sri Lanka................................................................ 17 Curricular Reform Proposals and their Rationale ..................................................................... 18 Policy Proposals ............................................................................................................................. 30 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION............................................................................................. 33 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 33 Trends in Early Childhood Education ........................................................................................ 33 Current Issues of Early Childhood Care and Education in Sri Lanka.................................... 38 Policy Proposals ............................................................................................................................. 40 THE TEACHING PROFESSION...................................................................................................... 43 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 43 Trends in the Teaching Profession............................................................................................... 44 Issues of the Teaching Profession in Sri Lanka .......................................................................... 48 Policy Proposals ............................................................................................................................. 55 STUDENT ASSESSMENT................................................................................................................. 59 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 59 Trends in Assessment Practices ................................................................................................... 61 Issues of Assessment Practices in Sri Lanka............................................................................... 63 Policy Proposals ............................................................................................................................. 68 QUALITY ASSURANCE IN EDUCATION ................................................................................... 71 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 71 Trends in Quality Assurance in Education ................................................................................ 73 Issues in the Present Quality Assurance System ....................................................................... 77 Policy Proposals ............................................................................................................................. 83

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EDUCATION PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT .................................................................... 85 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 85 Trends in Education Planning and Management...................................................................... 86 Issues in Education Planning and Management in Sri Lanka ................................................. 87 Policy Proposals ............................................................................................................................. 92

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT......................................................................................................... 95 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 95 Trends in the Learning Environment.......................................................................................... 96 Issues in the Learning Environment in Sri Lankan Schools................................................... 104 Policy Proposals ........................................................................................................................... 107

INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION................................................................................................... 108 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 108 Issues of Investment in Education in Sri Lanka....................................................................... 109 Policy Proposals ........................................................................................................................... 111

CAREER GUIDANCE IN SCHOOLS ........................................................................................... 112 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 112 Trends in Career Guidance......................................................................................................... 114 Issues of Career Guidance in Sri Lanka .................................................................................... 117 Policy Proposals ........................................................................................................................... 118

MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION, NATIONAL, SECOND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES ............................................................................................... 120

Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 120 Trends in the Medium of Instruction ........................................................................................ 122 Issues of Medium of Instruction, National, Second National, and International Languages ........................................................................................................................................................ 124 Policy Proposals ........................................................................................................................... 127 SPECIAL EDUCATION .................................................................................................................. 129 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 129 Trends in Special Education ....................................................................................................... 130 Issues of Special Education in Sri Lanka................................................................................... 132 Policy proposals ........................................................................................................................... 134 NON-FORMAL EDUCATION ...................................................................................................... 136 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 136 Trends in Non-formal Education............................................................................................... 138 Issues in Non-formal Education in Sri Lanka .......................................................................... 140 Policy proposals ........................................................................................................................... 141

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PREFACE

According to the provisions of the National Education Commission Act No. 19 of 1991 the President may declare from time to time the National Education Policy which shall be conformed to by all authorities and institutions responsible for education in all its aspects.

The said Act further stipulates that the National Education Policy shall be formulated on a consideration of the recommendations and advice made to the President by the National Education Commission established by Section 3 of the Act. In pursuance of its mandate the National Education Commission has prepared in respect of General Education a set of recommendations embodied in this document titled "Proposals for a National Policy on General Education in Sri Lanka". This document is a sequel to "Proposals for a National Policy Framework on General Education in Sri Lanka" submitted in December 2003.

In the preparation of the present set of recommendations the Commission was guided by the key concept of Raising the Quality of Education. The Commission notes that the present General Educational System has the quantitative capacity to educate the entire child population of Sri Lanka from Grade 1 to Grade 13. Nevertheless the Commission notes with regret that the quality of Education has not risen to meet national expectations in certain important aspects as befitting the aspirations of a nation with a long tradition of education with enlightened ethical and social values.

The present set of proposals is building on the educational resources as at present to advance towards a vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka, consistent with the national policies in respect of the Economy, Industrialization, Agriculture, Health and Social Services, and Science and Technology.

It offers a holistic policy that would impact on the entirety of the General Education System comprising the schools, teachers, students, curriculum, management, and financial resources; and is based on the new thinking and educational philosophy developed during the past decade.

Particular attention is paid to critical issues such as primary education, early childcare and education and special education for the differently-abled children, as well as career guidance and psychosocial counselling. Attention is also paid to outstanding issues of medium of instruction, learning environment and span of formal schooling. The proposals also concern the post-educational prospects of the

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