Schools for IDP children outside welfare centres

Chaminda Perera

Over 2,000 IDP children living outside welfare centres were admitted to 59 schools in Vavuniya yesterday providing equal education access for all.

The Government took this decision after receiving a number of complaints that the children of IDP families who are living with their relations outside the welfare centres have been denied school education. Northern Governor Major General G.A. Chandrasiri said another 2,000 children deprived of school education would be admitted to Gamini Maha Vidyalaya in Vavuniya tomorrow.

The Education Ministry has provided infrastructure to accommodate them under the Uthuru Vasanthaya Program.

He said the Government is doing everything possible to ensure that the children of IDP families have easy access to secondary and higher educational opportunities.

"We carried out a survey to ascertain the number of IDP children

deprived of educational avenues and found that over 4,000 children do not go to school," the Governor said. He said there are only 25 Montessori schools in the Settikulam welfare centre to accommodate 2,000 pre-school students. The Government will set up 18 mobile libraries donated by the Japanese Solidarity Association for the use of these children. Ordinary and Advanced Level students of displaced families being resettled in their original places are being provided bicycles. The Eduction Ministry is in the process of upgrading infrastructure facilities to schools in the Northern province.