The association has obtained a specialist report after the budget presentation, which points out that only 3.7 pc of the GDP has been allocated, he has told BBC Sandeshaya.

This percentage is somewhat questionable as it includes the fixed expenditure for physical resources, such as school buildings, he said.

Excluding the fixed expenditure, the actual allocation is 2.72 pc of the GDP, said Dr. Devasiri noting that this however, is a 31 pc increase from the 1.97 pc allotted last year.

Not a bad allocation

That is not bad, if that allocation is spent within the structure proposed by FUTA before the presentation of the budget, he said.

However, a sizeable amount, which is Rs. 9,800 million, has been set aside under higher education for the establishment of a Mahapola university and certain other purposes.

The proposals for expenditure have been prepared without identifying problems in education, he charged.

The sizeable allocation for teacher training is welcome, but teacher training has been defined without understanding its requirements, said Dr. Devasiri.