Over 10 percent of ex-LTTE cadres never missed schooling [November 16 2010]

Over 10 percent of ex-LTTE cadres, who are undergoing rehabilitation, had missed education and were forcibly recruited as child soldiers,Minister of Rehabilitation DEW Gunasekera said.

According to Minister Gunasekara, over 70 percent of the former LTTE cadres studied upto grade 8. “ While undergoing rehabilitation they are given the opportunity to study and sit for examinations. Nearly 1000 cadres have sat for both the Ordinary and Advanced level examinations”, he said.

Minister Gunasekara said that of the 12,000 ex-LTTEers surrendered, 5,500 of them had been reunited with their families while the remaining who are under rehabilitation would be released in batched soon.