Mullaitivu :

Education revival seen

Sandasen Marasinghe

*40 percent schools functioning

*Nearly 5,000 attend schools

*Over 22,000 IDPs resettled

Around 5,000 students attend schools in the Mullaitivu district as 40 percent of the schools in the district are functioning.

Mullaitivu Special Force Commander Major General Prasanna Silva told the Daily News that it was a major achievement to be able to function 40 percent of schools after the area was liberated from the LTTE.

He said once the rest of the IDPs of the Mullaitivu District are resettled, the rest of the schools could be commenced. Mullaitivu was the last district to be liberated from the LTTE, while the Government has been able to resettle over 22,000 IDPs. Another 30,000 IDPs are still to be resettled. The recommencement of the rest of schools are delayed as a result of the delay in the resettlement drive. As soon as the mines are cleared from the area the resettlement will be done followed with the re commencement of schools, Major General Silva said.

In relation to the transport facilities in the district the Major General said 30 buses have been deployed. Fifteen are CTB while the rest are private.

Few ply to Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Colombo etc while the rest ply on short distance destinations.