Reports on damaged schools called for

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Education Ministry has directed Provincial Education officials to submit detailed reports on damaged school buildings due to the recent floods, earth-slips and earth tremors.

A large number of school buildings in Ampara, Batticaloa and a few other districts in the Eastern Province have been partly or badly damaged following last month's floods.

Some classrooms of two schools in Kandy, Swarnamali Balika Vidyalaya and Siddhi Lebbe Vidyalaya were partly damaged following an earth tremor around 12.30 pm on Tuesday. According to Swarnamali Balika Vidyalaya Principal, Mrs. H.L. Nikeihetiya, no student was injured due to the earth tremor as timely action was taken by the teachers to evacuate children from the affected area.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana told the Sunday Observer that a team of officials would be deployed to assess the damage caused to schools and take immediate measures to restore them enabling students to carry out their day-to-day educational activities uninterrupted.