The Education Ministry has sent 17 accountants attached to the Ministry to follow a workshop in Thailand, which is highly irrelevant at a juncture like this when the country is facing a severe financial crisis spending Rs. 1 Mn., a Ministry source said.

Earlier, the World Bank had refused to fund this trip claiming that it was highly irrelevant for the concerned officers.

Later, the monies for the trip had been obtained from funds allocated for Educational Development, after special approval was granted by Secretary to the Ministry Nimal Bandara.

Five accountants from the ministry and 12 representing the provinces, joined the group while the Chief Accountant of the Ministry had withdrawn from the tour at the last moment.

The two-week course, which is said to be on Financial Management, is being held at the Asian Technical Institute.

The employees of the Ministry expressed displeasure claiming that the government has not given increments to government servants and stopped overtime saying that the country is facing a severe financial crisis, but it is fit for the authorities to grant State funds meant for development of education for foreign jaunts of a selected few, he said.