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House assured of inquiry into uniform material, shoes distribution in isolated rural schools
View(s):Minister of Education, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam assured Parliament that he will initiate a full inquiry into the granting of extra uniform material and school shoes to schoolchildren in isolated and remote schools.
Responding to a question by MP Buddhika Pathirana in Parliament this week, he said, isolated schools will be made child-friendly schools to prevent dropouts due to remote locations and its consequent difficulties to attend.
Minister Kariyawasam said that students of 770 isolated schools and 3,324 remote schools are receiving extra school uniform material and a pair of shoes for each student.
The Minister said that school meals are also provided to the aforementioned schools, 3,324 and 3,703 other schools. However, no isolated or remote school is presently receiving fresh milk during school hours, while only 302 other schools are receiving milk daily.
The Education Minister said the Government will continue to provide all students enrolled to isolated schools with free meals including grains, egg and milk.
When inquired by MP Pathirana, whether the Minister can assure that all the data read out by him is correct and that all the students are receiving the said facilities, the Minister said that he will commence and inquiry from grassroot level.
“Today, I’m reading only the details provided to me by Education Ministry officials who have obtained information from Provincial and Zonal officials. I will commence a full inquiry into it,” he said.
He said that, at present the country has 6,331 child-friendly schools, while all isolated schools will be maintained as child-friendly. (NF)