Education best tribute to forces’ offspring - Defence Secy

Sandasen Marasinghe

The best tribute that one can offer to members of the Three Forces and the Police is to provide a sound education to their children enabling them to stand on their feet as responsible citizens in the future, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said at the Defence Services College Auditorium yesterday.

He made this observation at a ceremony held to grant 176 scholarships under Viru Sisu Pradeepa to children of War Heroes who sacrificed their lives or went missing during the humanitarian operation against LTTE, who passed the grade five scholarship examination in 2009.

Stating that special attention should be paid to the education of children of members of the Forces and Police, the Defence Secretary said there are many programs to be launched to uplift their education.

He said the Defence Services College established specially for the children of the Three Forces and the Police is one such program. It is also one of the leading schools in the country today.

They hope to make it the best school in the country in future. He added that the students in the Defence Services College have been placed first in several national school competitions during the last few years and expressed his hope they would do the same in the sphere of education as well in the near future.

The Defence Secretary said these initiatives were taken to provide a better education for children of the members of Three Forces as it is the best gift that one could give them rather than giving many other facilities free of charge.

He added that the Defence Ministry initiated scholarships to those students who pass the grade five scholarship examination as a welfare measure to children of the members of Forces and Police living across the country.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who wished the students a better future, advised them to pursue their studies with dedication and become exemplary citizens of the nation.

The Viru Sisu Pradeepa scholarships granted with funds from the National Security Fund of the Defence Ministry were granted for the third consecutive year.

Chief of Defence Staff and Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal W D R M J Goonetileke, Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya, Defence Ministry Seva Vanitha Unit President Ayoma Rajapaksa, Air Force Seva Vanitha Unit President Nelun Goonetileke, Army Seva Vanitha Unit President Manjulika Jayasuriya, Navy Seva Vanitha Unit President Malathie Samarasinghe, Police Seva Vanitha Unit President Asha Balasuriya and NSB General Manager H M Hennayake also participated.