Sri Lanka’s Education Ministry will take steps to close down 1,486 schools out of 10,194 located in the island nation as those 1,486 schools have less than 50 students attending classes, a recent media report highlights.

Accordingly the report said that the programme comes in the wake of the ministry trying to develop the nearest school as the best school, whilst the Northern Province has the most schools with less than 50 students, with 275 such schools located in the province. The report further pointed out that the Central Province has 240 such schools followed by Sabaragamuwa Province that has 230.

The report outlining the findings of the Ministry said that Southern Province has 125, Eastern Province has 141, North Western Province has 133, North Central Province has 111, Uva Province has 158 and Western Province has 73 schools that has less than 50 students attending the classes.

Report also quoted ministry officials who had said that they will be taking steps to close down those schools and relocate the students to other schools located close to their residences.