Protect schoolchildren from becoming smokers

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Institute of Cancer, Maharagama has cautioned parents and school authorities to be extra vigilent about the addiction of male students to smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco related products, following an increase in the number of cancer patients due to smoking.

According to the Institue over 75 per cent of oral and lung cancer patients recorded are those affected by smoking.

It has been revealed that many male schoolchildren are addicted to tobacco products today.

Referring to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, Dr.samadhi Rajapaksa of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) told the Junior Observer that over 18,000 new patients seek treatment at the NCI every year and among them a majority are those affected by smoking.

Dr Rajapakse called upon teachers and parents to take precautionary measures to stop young children from getting addicted to smoking since tobacco is recognised as the number one killer in the world.

He said the measures taken by the Chairman of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol, Professor Carlo Fonseka to ban the sale of any tobacco related products near schools was a step in the right direction.

Even though the Government has taken many precautionary measures to discourage the habit of smoking, children are exposed to it at homes where parents smoke. Passive smoking also has an impact on health so adults should be more responsible when smoking, especially in the presence of young children.

Many young boys who are at an impressionable age may get tempted to follow in the footsteps of adults without realising the danger.

Some children who see their parents smoking are tempted to try it out for fun and eventually get addicted to it.

School authorities should conduct more anti-smoking awareness programmes and educate the young generation on the hazards of smoking.

A budding artist

An art competition to select a creative painting for a Vesak card to be released in connection with the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi celebrations was organised by the Buddhist Association of Kirindiwela Maha Vidyalaya, Kirindiwela in April. From among the 250 drawings submitted by the Grade Four students, the colourful drawing by little U. Roshani Shashikala depicting a scene at the temple was selected as the winning entry.

The Principal A.N.R. Wijesooriya and Shashikala's class teacher Inoka de Silva said that great enthusiasm was shown by all the students, and organising such competitions aide in developing the innate talents of young students.

News in brief

by Rohana Jayalal

Introducing multimedia technology to schools

The Education Ministry and Higher Education Ministry have decided to introduce multimedia technology to schools thus directing the education strategy towards a new path.

The first stage of the countrywide programme to popularise multimedia technology among schoolchildren was launched in Colombo . It is planned to hold networked workshops in the future covering all Districts, including Kalutara, Gampaha and Galle.

According to Media Secretary W.B. Ganegala, the country should be developed as the hub of knowledge. He said that this is clearly enshrined in the Mahinda Chinthana. The Information Department expects to play a pioneering role to popularise this, particularly among children.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Secretary, Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne said that knowledge had to be taken to the village if the country was to become the hub of knowledge. This knowledge could then be distributed among the world, he explained.

The National Distance Education Unit has succeeded in taking this knowledge from Colombo to the village. He revealed that this was done through 26 centres and with the help of 625 computers.

No disruptions in evaluation of A/L results

The Education Ministry assured that there will be no delays whatsoever in the 2011 G.C.E. A/L examination,evaluation or results releasing procedures due to the withdrawal of academics from this year's A/L evaluations. Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that the academics contribute to the evaluation supervision process.

According to the Minister, the ministry has already selected 30,000 teachers to participate in this year's A/L answer script evaluations, so there is no shortage of evaluators.

The 2011 A/L examination is due to commence on August 8 and the evaluation process is scheduled to commence during the third week of August.

According to the Examinations Department, over 272,000 students have applied to sit for the 2011 A/L examination.

Ayurveda Expo 2011 Exhibition and Symposium

The Ayurveda Expo 2011 Exhibition and Symposium will be held in Colombo from July 15. The exhibition and symposium will be a joint effort by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the Sri Lanka National Chamber of Commerce, the Indigenous Ministry, the Economic Development Ministry and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Tourism Promotion.

The exhibition at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Conference Hall (BMICH) will last for three days.

The main areas that will be focused at this exhibition are yoga, ayurvedic and other alternative products, beauty culture and beauty care products, herbal cosmetic products, nature friendly health food and beverages,spas, ayurvedic hospitals, clinics, educational institutions,other alternative medical clinics, acupuncture and homeopathy.