13 September 2019 07:07 am
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday he was willing to have a public debate with anyone in the opposition who disputed the present government’s spending on education.
He said this at the 75th anniversary of the Erukkampody Muslim College in Mannar and added that no government had spent on education more than the present regime.
“I am proud to be the Prime Minister of the government which had spent most for education in Sri Lanka's history,” the Prime Minister said and added that the objective of the government was to spend six per cent of the GDP on education.
“We have already implemented the new policy of providing a 13-year education to the children,” he said.
Under this programme, the Prime Minister said children would not be sent away from school even if they failed the ordinary level examination.
“We will also look at the higher education and vocational training sector as well,” he said.
Minister of Trade, Resettlement of Displaced Persons, Rishad Bathiudeen was also present at the event. (Yohan Perera in Mannar)