Awareness on child abuse to be promoted

The next step of this project is to set up divisional level children’s councils which are tasked to discuss child related matters with the local authorities. The Government is also scheduling to set up District Children Councils, Provincial Children Councils and National Children Council respectively.

As Mr.Abeygunawardena pointed out listening to children is the key objective of this project.

Courtesy: Government Information Department

School textbooks distribution will complete tomorrow

The distribution of school textbooks among schools throughout the country according to orders placed by the principals will be completed by tomorrow, Commissioner General of Educational Publications W.M.N.J. Pushpakumara said.

The Educational Publications Department will conduct mobile services to meet any shortage of books faced by schools due to lapses in orders placed.These mobile services will be held in selected schools from January 6th to 17th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily on the basis of one school per each education zone, he added.

Any school which has not received textbooks by January 19 should contact the Department’s Investigation Unit.

Courtesy: Government Information Department

No food shortage in Vanni

Tigers using tents, tarpaulins for combat purposes - 74,618 metric tons of essentials sent

The Government yesterday re-assured that humanitarian assistance to civilians living in non-liberated areas of Vanni would continue un-interrupted, despite difficulties posed by vagaries of the weather, terrorist activities and bad road conditions.

Confirming there was no food shortage in the Vanni, Essentials Services Commissioner S.B. Divarathne said the Government was getting the fullest cooperation of all stakeholders including the WFP andICRC in the endeavor to provide supplies to the civilians.

Since August this year, the Government with the help of other stakeholders had sent 74,618 metric tons of essentials to the area. In addition, 90 per cent of the food parcels sent by India too had been delivered, he added.

According to Divaratne, there had been 8,528 lorry loads of food sent to Vanni during this period.

In addition, the Government was keeping a buffer stock of 3,000 metric tons in Vavuniya to meet any emergency.

Quoting independent figures, Divarathne said that nearly 250,000 people were living in the non-liberated areas mainly in Mullaveli, Dharmapuram, Kandaveli and Pudikudirippu. Out of this figure nearly 100,000-125,000 are believed to be displaced, he noted.

Furthermore, in addition to food, 99 per cent of medical supplies needed for hospitals in the area too had been dispatched, he said.

Commenting on the shortage of shelter material, Divarathne said that the Government had decided not to send tents and tarpaulins as they had received reliable information that the Tigers were using them for combat purposes.

As an alternative measure, the Government has decided to send thatched cadjan as shelter material. A total of 200,000 Cadjan sheets would be sent there shortly, he added. In addition the Government was planning to send kerosene, school books and other necessities soon, Divaratne said.

He also pointed out that despite Tiger claims, it was the Government that provided essential supplies to civilians and that the Government mechanism of utilising cooperatives, administration, hospitals etc is functioning as usual.

During October, the Government had spent Rs.117 million to repair dilapidated roads and streamline the delivery process as international organizations had refused to attend deliveries citing practical difficulties,, Divarathne added.

Commenting on the situation in Jaffna, Divarathne said despite having to face the most severe floods recorded in 50 years, the Government has brought the situation under control within a short period of time.

In Jaffna too there is no shortage of food or other essentials, he added.

Courtesy : Daily News

O/L Mathematics paper again within 3 weeks - Minister

Minister of Education, Susil Premajayantha announced that the O/L Mathematics Part II paper will be held again within the next three weeks.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing on Cabinet Decisions, the minister said that the special committee appointed to look into issues arising from the controversial paper set for the regular examination had made this recommendation.

The minister said that the Cabinet had come to this decision in order to ensure that justice is done to students who sat for the earlier paper.

The decision has been intimated to the Commissioner of Examinations and the date of the exam will be notified by him (the commissioner) shortly, the minister added.

Courtesy: Government Information Department

GCE A/L results out soon

Examinations Department expects to issue the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination results before the end of the month, Examinations Commissioner General Anura Edirisinghe said.