Milk centres in schools

The price of milk powder is very high now, as you may know. Most people find it difficult to consume milk, and even little children are deprived of milk these days as most families cannot afford it.

As a measure to ease this problem, the government has embarked upon a project of providing fresh milk and milk-based products to schoolchildren to improve their nutritional levels. Not only that, it will also help farmers get the best price for their milk.

Under this project, necessary measures have been taken to set up Milk Super Centers in schools; these would be managed by School Co-operative Societies.

The Department of Co-operatives Development would provide fresh milk and milk-based products to these Societies so that they in turn could provide them to schoolchildren.

It will also boost local milk production by reducing the foreign exchange spent on the import of milk powder.

It would also increase the value addition of milk products. A grant of Rs. 200,000 will be provided to each Milk Super Center so that they could be equipped with the necessary equipment for chilling and freezing of the milk.

Such Milk Super Centers have already been set up in four schools - St. John's Boys School, Nugegoda, Rahula Balika Vidyalaya, Malabe, Rajasinghe Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Hanwella and Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo.

The School Co-operative Societies in these schools are reported to have earned net profits of over Rs. 20,000 per month. These profits are expected to be invested on the improvement of welfare facilities in each school.

The Education Ministry, which has also realised the importance of setting up these School Cooperative Societies, has taken steps to include it in the school syllabus.

This move is expected to enable schoolchildren to receive practical knowledge and skills on the co-operative enterprise system. In an indirect way, the project is also expected to wean students away from soft drinks. The Ministry has already received over 25 requests from schools across the country; the project is hoped to gather further momentum.

Cable car system for Namal Uyana

If you had been reading the Junior Observer over the last few years, you would have read our article on Namal Uyana. This pink quartz mountain range is a wonder of nature and is visited by many, both from Sri Lanka and abroad, who are attracted to its unusual beauty.

There are some new plans in the offing to make the place easily accessible to visitors. Founder of Namal Uyana, Rahula Thera is planning to implement a cable car system, which would join the seven hill tops of the mountain range, so that it is easier for tourists to arrive at the place.

The completion of the project is expected to take five years. Many government and foreign institutions have extended their support and sponsorship to the project, the Thera said.

He also said that bio-gas collected through the combustion (process of burning) of discarded hay available in plenty in the locality would power the cable car system. The income from this novel project will be utilised for development activities to be carried out in the region.

The Namal Uyana pink quartz mountain range is located close to the Galkiriyagama town, Kekirawa. Its wonders were identified and introduced to the nation 17 years ago.

However, the area has a history running back more than 1,000 years.

Security tightened in school

Following the current situation in the country, the Government has introduced a series of security measures to ensure the safely of schoolchildren islandwide. According to these new measures, the school authorities have been instructed to impose a ban on the public attending any school functions with immediate effect.

This step has been taken to ensure that no unknown person enters the school premises under the guise of attending the function. However parents of children could be invited for prize giving ceremonies to be held in school halls.

While instructing the school authorities to strictly hold school functions within the school premises, they have been granted permission to invite politicians for such functions at their own discretion.

The Secretary, Ministry of Education, M. M. N. D. Bandara states that a series of measures such as checking of school premises every morning by teachers, representatives of parents and prefects, and also the checking of students’ school bags prior to entering the premises are already in force.

No outsiders would be allowed into the school premises, especially during school hours.

Meanwhile, the Director of Education, North Western Province, Asoka Jayasinghe has stated that after consultation with the Chief Minister, Police and Principals of leading schools in the area, a decision has been taken to introduce a special transport system for schoolchildren in the area.

It has been noted that over 25,000 students in seven schools in the Kurunegala Division travel daily to school by public transport and the new transport system would prevent these children thronging outside the school premises for buses as the newly introduced buses would go into the school premises to pick them up.

In order to prevent large numbers of students gathering in one place at the same time, the schools in Galle are closed daily at different times.

Extra security will be given by army and police during school hours, but you too as students should always be vigilant and ensure your safety and that of other students and the school at all times.

Solar power for SAARC villages

In a special initiative, India will undertake solar electrification of selected villages in other SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries.

The programme, to be launched soon, will provide electrification to homes and streets in villages to be specifically identified for the purpose.

The work will entail supply of power and maintenance by companies under the supervision of the Ministry of External Affairs, sources said. The Ministry has invited tenders from companies for undertaking the task.

Initially, one village will be selected for electrification on a pilot basis in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives.

The work will involve supplying and commissioning about 2,100 solar home lighting systems and 350 solar street lighting systems - about 300 homes and 50 street lighting systems in each village.

In each country, the Ministry will identify three villages, from which one village will be taken up for electrification initially, the sources said. The “most suitable village” will be selected after a visit to each of the three villages, they said. - Zee News

Cultural extravaganza in Singapore
 

Three cultural shows were presented in Singapore by 27 students from Colombo and outstation schools, under a cultural tour organised by the Children Skills Development Programme.

The cultural extravaganza jointly organised by the Sri Lanka - United Nations Friendship Organisation, ‘One Singapore’ and the Maha Karuna Sangamaya was held on February 17, 19 and 20 at three different locations.

The Children Skills Development Programme expects to involve 1000 children in similar foreign cultural tours in the future. Those interested are requested to contact the Children Skills Development Programme, 51 Sri Dharmarama Road, Colombo 09. (Tel 0112-672718, 0112-689536)

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