September 1st In the School of Sri Lanka

Beginning of September is high time to speak about various schools. This time it will be Village School in Sigiriya village, Sri Lanka.

Free state education dominates on the island. There are 10 000 schools where 3.8 million pupils are taught, the number of teachers exceeds 200 thousand.

In the system of school education of Sri Lanka there are three levels according to the age criterion: elementary school (4-5yo), medium school, senior school and so-called collegium (up to 18yo). Classes are called grades. From 1st to 9th grades (14yo) - are obligatory in the country.

They say that on the average 4-5 people enter institutes and universities after school.
So welcome to Sigiria Central College!

The school is comparatively big and rather modern. It serves the district for 7km around and teducates children from remote villages where only elimentary education is available.

Lessons begin at 8.00 am and last till 2.00-3.00 pm, beginning from the senior school additional classes are available after lessons. Each group has 35-40 pupils, in the elementary school up to the 3rd grade there is only one teacher. One lesson lasts 45 min. One break for lunch lasts 20 min. Pupils eat food that they bring from home - there's no canteen here.

It is quite prestigious to be a teacher in Sri Lanka. Teachers' salary is higher than the verage in the country. A teacher who has just come to work to school is about 150-180 dollars, those teachers whose length of teaching experience is 25 years, earn 350-450 dollars. The avarage salary in the country - 80-150 dollars.

Besides, teachers often practice extra teaching at night schools, universities, preliminary courses. Some teachers work at home too.

Favourite subjects: maths, English, aesthetics (art subjects such as music, drawing, dancing etc).

Elementary school

All teachers have to wear a sari, it's a national official clothing for women. At that not more than 20% of all women on the island wear saris.

Kids' drawings

Writing homework

All bags are put on special shelves in the rear part of the classroom.

School building looks like this.

There is a small statue of Buddha in each classroom.

A chapel on the territory.

Class register

Photos of pupils on the wall, if someone is absent his/her photo is turned to the wall. Pupils who come to school in the morning have to hang their photos here.

Timetable

Island map

In the library

Dreams about snow...

Cricket at a physical training lesson

Open air lesson

One of the senior groups

Classrooms are divided by a screen only, so it's very noisy.

Head of the curriculum department