:: Education for Knowledge Society Project ::

Isuru School concept, based on the Mahinda Chinthana 10 year Development Strategy (Pg.70), has been proposed with the aim of upgrade provincially administered secondary school to a fully - fledged secondary school in each of the 325 Divisional Secretariat Divisions. The Asian Development Bank funded Education for Knowledge Society Project (EKSP) will assist the Ministry of Education to upgrade 150 secondary schools nationwide in focusing poorest divisions which are selected based on poverty indices. All identified secondary schools under Isuru Schools Development Programme will be developed with academic requirements. However, each of the Schools should/will become a centrally located 'centre of excellence' fostering the realization of national educational goals and the needs of the immediate community, in a Knowledge Society milieu.

Main objectives of Isuru Schools Development Programme

• To provide equal & quality education facility for all students with necessary physical & human resources especially in poverty stricken areas.

• To create a feasible environment for students in those areas to pursue their secondary education in any stream of their choice.

Some major impacts on students from this programme

• Ability to face the challenges of the next century & to come up with novel ideas.
• Ability to pursue careers as professsionals, entrepreneures, craftsmen etc.
• Provide efficient leadership to own school community.
• Live in harmony in the society.
• Use ICT as a tool in effective & efficient day today management.

Selection criteria of Isuru schools

The criteria for selecting one secondary school in each of the 325 Divisional Secretaries Divisions (DSDs) to be upgraded are derived from the Cabinet Memorandum No. 2006/ED/E/37. In addition to the Government criteria, selection of the 150 schools will be determined using the following criteria.

• The school is and will continue to be administered by the Provincial Education Authority (PEA) when not classified as a National School.
• Eligible schools will either be a Type C or Type 2.In DSDs where a Type 1 AB school exists but is assessed as no longer fully functional and satisfies all other selection criteria, it may be considered eligible for upgrading.
• The DSD has been ranked among the poorest 150 of the 325 DSDs based on the National Headcount Index prepared by the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka.
• Priority will be given to a school located in an area where there are Sinhala and Tamil medium feeder schools in the catchment area.
• Having a qualified Principal for the school.
• Public transportation is available for students living more than 4 kilometers away from the selected school.
• Sufficient land and space is available for school expansion without disrupting the environment, displacement of people or negative effect on peoples' lives and livelihood.
• An adequate and reliable supply of electricity is available in the schools.
• The school should have existing class rooms made available or other space suitable for conversion to science labs and activity rooms.
• A playground or sports field should exist.

Procedures

• Identification of the most eligible school will be completed by a Selection Committee with representation from the Provincial and Zonal Structural Committees, the Zonal Director of Education and Director of Planning.

• The Committee will prepare a report and recommendations for the school which best match the selection criteria.

• The Divisional Secretary must be endorsed the recommendation of the selection committee.

• The recommendation must be endorsed by the Provincial Director of Education, Provincial Council.

• The recommendation may only be rejected by the Secretary of Education, MoE if the minimum criteria are not fully achieved.

Basic components of the programme

• Civil Works

• Quality Improvement Programmes for Principals & Teachers

• Web Sites Development