Books and uniforms - Education Ministry

By Husna Inayathulla

Minister of Education, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said all schools in the island which were closed due to the inclement weather on May 20 will reopen tomorrow, May 23. He said an operations room for special disaster relief has been set up at the Education Ministry premises to provide relief to the displaced schoolchildren, on his directive. “Anybody willing to provide material assistance could contact Senerath – 0712365965, Rohan – 0718387212 or 0112786384,” he said. The Minister said they have received reports of government provided text books being washed away by the floods in certain areas and that the Education Ministry will take steps to redistribute them.

“The Ministry has sufficient text books in store and they will be distributed to affected schools through the Principals and Zonal Directors of Education on receiving accurate data”, he said. He said, “School uniforms will also be distributed if necessary.According to the ‘Save the Children’ organisation, 150,000 children have been affected by floods and landslides. The aid agency is expecting the death toll to rise as government and NGO’s continue to assess the damage and conduct rescue efforts. ‘Save the Children’s’ spokesperson in Sri Lanka, Madhubhashini Rathnayake said families in urban and rural areas have been affected, including an estimated 150,000 children, 35,000 of whom are under five. She said: Minister Akila Viraj said “I express my deep sympathy for the victims of this crisis.

As the Government, and as a party we are committed to provide maximum relief to them. It is a matter for regret that certain elements are active in realizing their narrow political objectives. What is necessary now is to act together in the interest of the people. The President and the Prime Minister have already initiated action to help the victims. The Forces are providing relief work to the people despite heavy rains,” he said.

He appealed to the parents to be mindful of the environment until the crisis situation improves and take special care of their children.