The Cabinet has approved the proposal put forward by Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam to distribute tablet computers (tabs) among school children in spite of president Maithripala Sirisena’s objections.
Kariyawasam’s proposal calls for the free distribution of 183,000 tabs at a cost of Rs. 3.5 billion.
The President, from the beginning, held the view that a pilot project should be implemented first on the distribution of tablets. He had opined that a final decision could be taken subject to the results of the pilot project and that there is no need to provide 183,000 tabs at this initial stage.
The matter was taken up for discussion at the Cabinet meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (07). Despite his objections, president Sirisena caved in, enabling the Education Minister to get Cabinet approval to proceed with the programme.
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