Seventeen VTCs in North

About 17 Vocational Training Centres(VTC)s were established for children in the North area who have lost their parents and who do not attend school.

Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament yesterday that "Fit person" and "CFCD" aid are provided for these children with Australian financial assistance.

School uniforms, shoes and other ready made clothes were also distributed among them. Evening classes have been introduced and necessary equipment for training and to improve the literacy of the schoolchildren and self employed children have been provided.

He also mentioned that 1,749 children living in the Northern area have lost their parents due to the war and 1,608 among them are schoolchildren. About 1,551 children among them are attending school at present. This answer was tabled in response to a question raised by DNA MP Anura Dissanayaka.