More schools, facilities for IDP children

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Over 4000 school-going children of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who lived outside welfare centres in the Northern District were admitted to 59 schools in Vavuniya last week to receive their education under the 'Uthuru Vasanthaya' programme.

The Education Ministry launched this programme which is conducted under the purview of Northern Governor, Major General G.A. Chandrasiri.The services of eighteen mobile libraries, donated by the Japanese Solidarity Association for the benefit of students will also be provided by the Education Department within the next three months. Speaking to Junior Observer, Major General G.A. Chandrasiri said the Government is committed to ensure the secondary and higher education of all children of IDP families.He said there are about 25 montessori schools in the Settikulam Welfare Centres to accommodate about 2000 pre-school students and if necessary more pre-schools will be set up in the near future.

Major General Chandrasiri said that providing only schools for children was insufficient to ensure their education unless other infrastructure facilities such as computer rooms and science laboratories too were provided.

He said the Education Ministry recently sent a team of officials to the welfare camps to look into the needs of children.

"We have also decided to provide students with bicycles to enable them to carry out their educational activities without any obstacle,".The Major General also said that special classes for children in Ordinary Level and Advanced Level grades will also be conducted during the examination periods.

Yesterday was World Day of Social Justice

The United Nations' (UN) World Day of Social Justice is observed annually on February 20 to encourage people to look at how social justice affects poverty eradication. It also focuses on the goal of achieving full employment and support for social integration.

Many organisations, including the UN and the International Labour Office, make statements on the importance of social justice for people. Many organisations also present plans for greater social justice by tackling poverty, social and economic exclusion and unemployment.

The World Day of Social Justice is a global observance and not a public holiday.The World Summit for Social Development was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1995 and resulted in the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. At this summit, more than 100 political leaders pledged to make the conquest of poverty and full employment, as well as stable, safe and just societies, their overriding objectives. They also agreed on the need to put people at the centre of development plans.

Nearly 10 years later, the UN's member states reviewed the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action when they gathered at a session of the Commission for Social Development in New York in February 2005. They also agreed to commit to advance social development. On November 26, 2007, the UN General Assembly named February 20 as the annual World Day of Social Justice.

The day was first observed in 2009.

News briefs

* Health Ministry officials warn of an outbreak of dengue which has already affected the lives of many, with the onset of the monsoon rains.

According to them, the total number of cases reported up to January 31 this year is 3,336 and the total number of deaths is 20.

* The Postal Services Department has taken measures to introduce a courier service in the Greater Colombo area and several of its suburbs.

* Students of Grade 7 and Grade 8 of the Mahawathenna Junior School in Weligamuwa are in a predicament without a school following the closure of the two classes.

* Advanced Level students who have applied for the re-correction could apply for university admission prior to February 26 while their re-correction was pending, says the University Grants Commission.

From Left to Right : Jayani Wickrama Seneviratne; F. Zafra Fuaiz; Ishani Divajini Chandrasena; Piumi Madumali Jayalath; Ms. Valerie Fowler, Deputy Chief Mission, U. S. Embassy, Colombo; Madara Madushani Wijesooriya; M. A. B. Randilini; Linda Warnakulasuriya; I. L. Asmath Rahna; Devmini Thilakshi Perera and Glen Davis, Cultural Affairs Officer, U. S. Embassy, Colombo	Left to Right: G. P. Tharindu Randika; Dinidu De Silva; T. Nazmi Mahamood; Ms. Valerie Fowler, Deputy Chief Mission, U. S. Embassy, Colombo; W. P. Nirmani Samarasekara; Menushi Hasara Rajapakse; A. D. Niranthara Tharika and Glen Davis, Cultural Affairs Officer , U. S. Embassy, Colombo