Except the schools in the western province and the locked down areas all schools in other areas will be opened for the grades 2 – 13 from tomorrow (11). The Minister of Education Professor G.L.Peiris said at a media discussion held today that the decision to open the schools was taken after taking all possible measures to ensure the health protection of the children.
While expressing the ideas at this occasion the minister said that,
“This is not a decision taken abruptly. This is implemented according to a plan prepared very carefully by us. Not only a complete plan but a procedure has also been designed to supervise whether that plan is implemented step by step in each school properly. A school committee has been appointed in each school with the leadership of the principal. We have delegated the responsibilities very clearly to the Public Health Officer, Grama Niladari, Inspector of Police, a representative from the old pupils’ association and a representative from the school development society. Proper steps have been taken to supervise the fulfillment of these duties step by step. All zonal directors and the provincial directors are involved in this entire work.”
During the past several days, all parents, teachers and principals were made aware of this complete procedure through the print and electronic media. And also the instructions have been given to conduct discussions of parents and teachers in the schools since last Wednesday until today and to find solutions if there is any shortage or an issue relevant to each school, the minister further mentioned.
The minister further stated that the special attention of the ministry of education was drawn to the transport of students in the face of current situation and specially the discussions were held at the ministry with all the officers in the field of transport including CTB, railway department and associations of school vans and also came to agreements with them. With regard to the assurance of full health protection of the children coming to the schools, the discussions were held not only with the health officers of the ministry of health but also with several famous professors in the field of medicine, the minister pointed out.
This decision is put into action with the main objective of implementing the education of the children continuously according to a properly planned procedure. The ministry of education requests from all parents to send their children to schools following strictly all the instructions already given to them about the health protection of the children.
Along with this, another special discussion was held today through Zoom technology with the provincial directors of education about the supervision of the implementation of this procedure at zonal, divisional and school levels and taking necessary actions at the provincial levels. A group of people including the secretary of education Professor Kapila Perera, additional secretary of education D. Dharmasena, all provincial directors of education, private secretary Naleen Gamlath and media secretary Buddhika Wickramadara had joined in this discussion.
