'Proper religious education can make complete citizens'

Asela Kuruluwansa

We would not be able to serve the country and our fellow citizens despite the fact that we are so rich in physical resources unless we condition our lifestyles in a righteous manner through proper religious education Tourism Deputy Minister Faizer Musthapa observed at a ceremony held at Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy on Sunday.

The function was organised to mark the distribution of aid amounting to Rs. 500,000 among 50 religious schools (Daham Pasalas) by the Tourism Minister in the Kandy district.

It is religion that draws the distinction between man and animal. Righteous people emerge only through religious guidance. Today, people living in the Western world and also in urban areas have a tendency to get closer to religions whereas those in village areas tend to deviate from that and this is partly due to the unsatisfactory nature of religious schools in villages, he said.

This can be rectified by improving religious schools adjacent to temples, kovils and mosques in village areas. "Towards this objective, our Ministry has organised a programme by which 100 out of 300 religious schools are to receive financial allocations very shortly," Deputy Minister Musthapa said.