Wednesday, 30 June 2004  
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A firm head and caring heart

It was in the fitness of things that President Kumaratunga should have pledged to move the country along the road to progress - come what may - on the eve of her 59th birthday, which fell yesterday. The fact that the Government fell short of two or three seats in Parliament, she said, wouldn't deter it from realising its program of work. For it enjoyed the people's power.

Particularly encouraging was the President's determination and courage to forge ahead with the educational reforms which were launched under her guidance some years ago. These were abandoned in the UNP years, leading to sudden disruptions in educational policy. Needless to say, the student population of the country would have suffered bitterly as a result of such adventurism.

Now, however, the President has decided to ensure the implementation of her educational policies, under her direct, personal supervision. "I have decided to do them myself", she explained. Considering that local education leaves much to be desired, these are very brave words indeed.

It is our assessment as well as that of many enlightened sections that the well being of this country depends considerably on the quality of the education which is imparted to the young. Bold changes were made in our system of education under the direction of President Kumaratunga, to make it more responsive to national needs. Efforts were also made to usher in a value-based education. These reforms must be vigorously pursued, if humaneness is to pervade local society.

The President's determination to forge ahead with her pro-people programs of work smacks of the true grit which the public has seen in her over the years. Beginning with the grave personal losses she suffered, when, first, her father - the late Premier SWRD Bandaranaike - and her husband, the charismatic Vijaya Kumaratunga, were felled by assassins bullets, throughout her long uphill struggle to bring peace to Sri Lanka, President Kumaratunga has amply demonstrated that she is blessed with a resourcefulness seen rarely in local politicians.

Despite the obstacles she has faced in the tumultuous world of Lankan politics, the President has stuck to her tasks unyieldingly. It could be said that she has fought the good fight with all her might.

However, much remains to be achieved and we hope the current round of destructive politics would be ended by a constructive phase, where all Lankans would work as one for the common good.

Street children

The latest statistics released by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) makes for grim reading. According to the NCPA, Colombo City alone has 3,000 street children. Thousands more children live on the streets in other key cities. The study also revealed that between 20 to 30 children leave their street life daily to take up work as labourers and other menial jobs.

The presence of a relatively large number of homeless children does not augur well for the country's social development ambitions. Urgent action is required to rehabilitate these children and enrol them in schools.

The NCPA already has a Child and Youth Centre at Pettah to provide shelter to street children. More centres are being planned. They will offer basic education and vocational training in handicrafts, fabric painting and printing to destitute children. This will enable them to find suitable employment and fit into the wider society. It will also veer them away from street vices such as petty theft and drug abuse.

Every child deserves a good education. It is universally accepted that children aged between five and 14 should be in school. It is indeed pathetic that thousands of children should be in the streets without receiving any formal or informal education in a country where education is free right upto university level.

The fact that street children are lured for menial jobs is even more disturbing. They are denied the basic right of schooling, forced to work long hours, punished for even minor mistakes and very poorly paid. We frequently see media reports on the harassment of children employed as domestic servants. Some of them are also abused sexually. The NCPA and the police must be given wider powers to tackle these issues and bring the culprits to book.

Child labour is not confined to Sri Lanka. It is a worldwide problem. Sri Lanka and other countries must work closely with the International Labour Organisation and UNICEF to end this scourge. Trafficking in children for prostitution and labour is also rife in many parts of the world. The international community must also act firmly in this regard.

But all these steps will be in vain if we lose sight of the core issue of poverty, which drives most families to the streets. Alleviating poverty should be a priority for the authorities, who are keen to keep children away from the streets.

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