There is renewed interest in STEM Education in Sri Lanka. Therefore, a meeting was held at Isurupaya on the 22nd December 2021 under the chairmanship of the former Hon. Minister of Education Reforms, Dr. Susil Premajayantha, with the participation of the ministry officials including Dr. Upali Sedera, Secretary and Mr. Neil Gunadasa, Addl. Secretary to the Ministry and relevant public sector institutions.
At the meeting, a core group was appointed to formulate a comprehensive proposal on STEM Education, including a roadmap and action plan with timelines so as to promote STEM Education in the country. Given the valuable contribution already made by the NSF in promoting STEM Education, its chairman Prof. Ranjith Senaratne was appointed as the focal point to proceed with this important task.
Since then, the Chairman of the NSF and Dr. Chandra Embuldeniya (Chairman of the Working Committee on STEM Education and Chairman of the Technology Development and Innovation Arm of the NSF) had a series of discussions and communication with the members of the core team and invited their views and comments to advance STEM education. Here, the attention of the members was invited to the seminal report prepared by the said WC on STEM Education in 2017.
After due deliberation and reflection, a comprehensive document was prepared by Dr. Embuldeniya, taking into consideration ideas and views expressed and suggestions and recommendations made, which was presented by him on the 11th March 2022 to the members of the core group chaired by Dr. Upali Sedera, Secretary. Follow-up will be taken by the Ministry of Education Reforms based on the discussion held and decisions taken at the above meeting so as to advance STEM education in the country.
The NSF through its Working Committee on STEM Education will continue to extend its fullest support and cooperation for the successful implementation of STEM Education in the country which is crucially important to make Sri Lanka a developed nation by 2035.