Education institutions to strengthen inclusive education framework

Colombo, July 8 (Daiy Mirror) - The Education Ministry and several government institutions will work together to integrate inclusive education into future plans, following a workshop held in Colombo on promoting research findings related to inclusive education.

Institutions including the National Institute of Education, Department of Educational Publications, Department of Examinations, and Ministries of Health and Mass Media, Transport, and Social Welfare will be involved in developing a coordinated approach to strengthen inclusive education.

The programme, organized by the Education Ministry and UNICEF, focused on developing an education system that ensures every child receives equal opportunities regardless of their background or challenges.

Education and Higher Education Deputy Minister Dr. Madura Seneviratne said creating schools that provide equal opportunities for every child was essential, including improving infrastructure, developing human resources and ensuring children with disabilities have access to education.

He also highlighted the importance of allowing students from all ethnic communities to receive education in their own languages.

The Deputy Minister said Sri Lanka should adopt a modern approach to inclusive education by recognizing and accepting differences among children and preparing future plans based on data, research evidence and scientific knowledge.

The workshop also featured presentations on research reports on inclusive education and discussions sharing experiences from the field.

UNICEF Acting Representative Begona Arellano, UNICEF Inclusive Education Adviser Natasha Graham, Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa, Professor Gamini Ranasinghe of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and senior officials from relevant ministries attended the event.