Pre-schools get Govt grant
Program to strengthen Dhamma schools in the offing:
Govt will never subjugate discipline, moral values in
name of development:
Rasika SOMARATHNA and Nimal Wijesinghe
The Government will provide pre-schools with a grant (according to
their needs) to up their standards, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Addressing pre-school and Dhamma school teachers in Anuradhapura
yesterday, President Rajapaksa said there are about 17,000 registered
pre-schools in the country and also many un-registered ones.
A program to strengthen Dhamma schools and help teachers too are in
the offing, he added. The President also appealed to teachers to help
create a society which would propagate love and harmony instead of
hatred and abuse.
President Rajapaksa also emphasized that during his 40-year-old
unblemished political career what he had earned was people’s trust and
confidence and not their wrath.
He noted that he had been committed to serving the country’s masses
for ever and would never betray them or leave them. The President said
that both he and his family had always devoted their skills and
experience at the service of the Nation for decades.
He added that although certain elements had tried to level false and
malicious allegations against him and his family at various times, they
had always emerged unscathed as they had the people’s trust and
confidence by engaging in honest and dignified people friendly politics.
Addressing the teachers the President said: “My hands are clean.”
“We were born in this country. We grew up in this country. This is
our Motherland. I would never leave my people.
I would make Sri Lanka one of the most prominent Nations. I want all
of you to support me in this endeavour.”
President Rajapaksa also observed that the education he had in the
Dhamma school at an early age had helped him to mould himself to face
both praise as well as abuse and insults alike.
“This discipline I cultivated at an early age also helped me to
refrain from responding to these false and malicious allegations in the
same manner,” he added.
He also stressed that it was the Mahinda Chinthana that for the first
time had included the concept of creating a disciplined society in an
election manifesto. The Government had also brought the Mathata Thitha
program to control both tobacco and alcohol abuse.
“Even though this meant that the Government had lost a large portion
of its revenue earned through relevant taxes, we were not prepared to
subjugate our children’s future for money.
“Without securing the lives of our future generation we cannot secure
the future of this country. This is why for the first time we introduced
a national policy on child development,” the President added.
He said what we need is both a developed and morally rich country,
adding that the Government would never subjugate discipline and moral
values in the name of development.
President Rajapaksa also noted that not only children but he would
ensure a secure future for teachers as well.
Ministers Prof. G.L. Peiris, Rajitha Senarathne and Johnston Fernando
and North Central Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake also
addressed the gathering.
Ministers Duminda Dissanayake, Tissa Karalliyadda, and S.M.
Chandrasena and North Central Governor Karunarathne Divulgane were also
present.
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