Sports as vital as academic activities - President

Rasika Somarathna and Nimal Wijesinghe

President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the children of the country to pursue sports, extra- curricular and cultural activities at school whilst engaging in academic activities.

“Children should not only concentrate on academic achievements but sports, extra-curricular activities, cultural, spiritual activities etc. This would provide them with necessary impetus to thrive in this competitive society and confront future challenges successfully” he said. The President noted the above addressing the prize giving of Anuradhapura Central College, Saturday where outstanding student achievers during years 2009 and 2010 were felicitated.

The President on the occasion told the students to consider education as a total process directed towards the development of mind, body and character.

On the occasion he also emphasized on the importance of cultivating good reading habits on varied topics in order for students to gain a wide range of knowledge in a variety of subjects both local and international.

On a previous occasion President Rajapaksa speaking on the same subject at the annual prize giving of S Thomas’ College, Colombo said “One of the significant weaknesses of our education system today, which our government is in earnest about rectifying, is the current emphasis on rote learning”.

“Education is not about absorbing, retaining and reproducing extensive volumes of factual material. That destroys the spirit of independent inquiry which is the central purpose or the core of education” on that occasion, he said.

North Central Province Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake noted that the President not only brought about peace, but has also laid special emphasis in expanding the scope of education in the country.

He said that a number of special programmes to supplement education in the North Central Province were being enacted and several others were in the pipeline.

The Chief Minister said that in order to improve IT education, fully equipped computer centers will be established in 100 schools in the Anuradhapura district at a cost of Rs. 1,000 million.

School Principal Menike Jayasena presented a memento to the president on behalf of the school on the occasion.

A large gathering including officials of the Education Ministry, students, teachers, parents and public of the area participated.