It is the international view that each student at a school requires a minimum of ten book for reading. With this purpose, the Minister of Education, Hon. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has instructed his officials to increase the number of books available for the students by 50%. As a step towards achieving this objective, steps are being taken to obtain additional books for 3200 schools under the “Nearest school is the best school” program at a cost of Rs. 700 million.
Accordingly, all books such purchased would require the permission of the Educational Books Advisory Board and if any publisher or author wishes to get his books under this scheme he should immediately apply on his own contact the Educational Publications Advisory board for such permission.
Already the formalities of issuing permission for such purchases have been formulated. Those who have received literary awards under the instructions of the Minister of Education need not get the permission.
Steps are already being taken to give instructions the principals for the formalities of selection and purchases of such books needed by schools under the “Nearest school is the best school” program from the bookstores.
