Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-11-29

The construction of a New National School with Multi-ethnic and Tri-lingual Education in the Polonnaruwa District

- The Cabinet has already granted approval to commence a new school in the Kaduruwela town starting from Grade 6 including all facilities, since the space available in the Royal College of Polonnaruwa is inadequate to provide an opportunity for all the children of the Polonnaruwa District who get through the Grade 5 scholarship examination, to be admitted to the Grade 6 of the Royal College of Polonnaruwa. It has been estimated that an approximate sum of Rs.1,200 Million will have to be spent to construct this new Model National College which is expected to be operative with Multi-ethnic and Tri-lingual Education with a view to ensuring national reconciliation. Out of this sum, about Rs.900 Million will be borne by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of India has agreed to provide the balance of Rs.300 Million. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, the Minister of Education, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of India, to obtain the financial aid agreed upon and also to implement the construction work of this school with the coordination of the Ministry of Education, was approved by the Cabinet.