Early childhood development unit set up in North

by P. Krishnaswamy

In a bid to give a better opportunity to children in the North an Early Childhood Development Unit has been set up under the provincial administration in the North. This unit will implement several far-reaching programs for educational, psychological and physical welfare of children of the province in an effort to offset the damage suffered by the community due to the decades-long terrorist war. This program has been initiated by the governor of the province G.A. Chandrasiri.

A one month football development program is to be conducted at the Mannar UC public playground and at the Mannar Football League playground with 40 participants, both boys and girls, at an expenditure of Rs. 800,000. Similarly a month's coaching program for Kabaddi has been organised at an expenditure of Rs. 976,800 for 30 participants in Vavuniya. Netball coaching camps have been set up in Jaffna spending Rs.272,400, a boxing coaching program in Jaffna for 18 participants spending Rs.445,600, a Karate coaching program has been set up in Mullaitivu at a cost of Rs. 445,600 for 18 participants, a Judo program will operate in Mullaitivu for 20 participants spending Rs.480,000, a swimming program for 32 participants has been set up in Mullaitivu spending around Rs 700,000, a netball program has been set up in Avarangal, Puthoor spending Rs. 478,800 and a coaching program on Cycling has been organised for 16 participants in Jaffna spending Rs. 1.885,200 will be conducted shortly.

"Developing sports and athletics among youth in the North comes in the wake of improving welfare and sports development which are essential components of human development that help to promote good health, comradeship and the spirit of friendly competition that have a positive impact on the development of personality", Governor Chandrasiri emphasised, adding that it was unfortunate that these areas remained dormant during the past several years due to the terrorist problem which ate into the fabric of Jaffna youth.

All these activities are part of the 'Uthuru Vasanthaya' program of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he said. The programs that are being implemented will functioning under the Ministry of Education, Cultural Affairs and Sports of the Northern PC.

The programs have been designed in keeping with the international millennium vision for Early Childhood Development (ECD) titled " Going to Scale. All countries working on ECD had launched programs considering their cultural value and need. The importance of ECD is accepted and included in the education policy.

Researchers have confirmed that early childhood, is important in brain development.

There are several remarkably brief periods of opportunity that lay the foundation for emotional control, mathematical and language abilities and the capacity to form social attachments.

The establishment of Provincial Councils and the devolution of power to the provinces under the 13th amendment have introduced an additional dimension to the coordination of activities for the development of children.

The objectives of the ECD programs are establishing a management unit to assist in the formation, registration and monitoring of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Centres, establishing a network within the education division to support the activities of the ECCD centres and providing institutional support to set up these centers with the participation of the community.

They will be empowered to establish and managing the unit according to the financial and administrative manual; acquire equipment, funds and any other resources, appointing staff and resource persons, determining their emoluments, awarding contracts, stipulating educational and professional qualifications for Early Childhood Facilitators/Teachers; and establishing and maintaining teacher training institutes on early childhood development.

The apex body of the department of sports functioning in the Northern province under the provincial administration will implement all policy decisions on promoting sports and athletics in the province which include the establishment of infrastructure facilities in all districts, divisions and sports clubs, identification of talented sports persons/athletes and providing training and financial assistance for participating in national and international competitions and providing incentives to eminent sports persons to motivate them to higher levels of achievement.