Due to focusing only on skill development in three main subject areas in preparing children for the grade five scholarship examination, about seven other key subjects essential to improving children's balanced skills are lost, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

He said that the ability of the brain related to the subject has also become blunted when it is considered out of the competition after passing the grade five examination.

In order to address this tragic situation, it is necessary to immediately move towards a transformational change in education that moves away from the school curriculum, the minister said.

The minister said this while participating as the chief guest at the Colombo Universities closing ceremony of the promotional programme to implement the new STEAM education concept, which is used in developed countries with a good combination of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and aesthetic subjects and practical activities to increase children's skills. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)