Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that education should not be a burden to children during the recovery period after the disaster, and priority must be given to their psychosocial well-being, the PM’s Office said.
The Prime Minister emphasized that this approach would help foster a supportive school environment during disaster situations.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a discussion held with education authorities of the Nuwara Eliya District on measures to restore educational activities and reopen schools for students following the recent disaster situation.
Although the Ministry of Education has decided to reopen schools island-wide on the 16 December, the Prime Minister noted that the authority has been granted to the relevant provincial and district authorities to make decisions regarding the reopening of schools in the affected areas.
The Prime Minister further stated that prior to reopening schools located in high-risk areas, recommendations from the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) must be obtained, and special attention should be paid to access roads and infrastructure.
The Prime Minister further mentioned that teachers and students who have experienced hardships should be allowed flexibility in wearing comfortable attire.
During the meeting, District education authorities informed that, despite numerous challenges, educational reforms are progressing rapidly, and that 51% of teacher training activities in the Nuwara Eliya District have already been completed.
Addressing the meeting, the she further stressed that these challenges must be overcome collectively in order to move forward to achieve a better position than before following the disaster situation, the statement said.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Madhura Senevirathna, Chairman of the District Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Members of Parliament Kalaichelvi and Anushka Thilakaratne, Nuwara Eliya District Secretary Thushari Tennakoon and several government officials.
