Education Ministry, AAA, Nestle launch Kids Athletics
The Ministry of Education along with the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka (AAA) and Nestle’ Lanka PLC have joined hands for the benefit of children when they launched the ‘IAAF Kids’ Athletic programme in Sri Lanka to promote and create awareness of the importance of physical activity among school children.
Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Minister of Education receiving the sponsorship package for IAAF Kids Athletics (Sri Lanka) programme from Ms. Shivani Hedge, Managing Director Nestle. Also in the picture from left Prema Pinnawala, Secretary AAA, Major Gen, Palitha Fernando, President AAA, Bandula Egodage, Assistant Vice President Corporate Affairs, Hemantha Prematileke, Additional Secretary, Minister of Education, B.A. Abeyratna Director of Sports, Ministry of Education and Milroy Jayamanne, Project Officer Minister of Education.
The glittering ceremony was held at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel with Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Ms Shivani Hegde, Managing Director, Nestle, Bandula Egodage, Assistant Vice President Corporate Affairs and Major General Palitha Fernando, President AAA gracing the occasion.
Sports play a major role in a child’s development during the primary and secondary stages of the education said the Minister of Education and the main aim of the programme is to produce mentally sound and physically fit individuals to the society. The minister further stated that our partnership with Nestle Lanka with the support of the AAA is a major step taken by the Ministry of Education to provide and encourage the younger generation to give them the much needed exposure to enhance their physical activities and to ensure that they become physically strong individuals.
The Ministry of Education revealing startling facts said that in a recent survey conducted mentioned that only 15% of the four million students engage in regular sports activities which indicates an urgent need for increased physical activity among school children as good nutrition practices and a physically active life style remains vital for the prevention of non- communicable diseases.
Speaking further he said that “as per government directive, every student must engage in a sport and the ‘IAAF Kids” programme could be the foundation that they need before engaging in school sports.
The programme will be conducted by experience primary school teachers who have been well trained by the officials of the Ministry Of Education and the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka will be conducting these activities across 98 educational zones.”Bandula Egodage, Assistant Vice President Corporate Affairs, Nestle’s Lanka briefing the media stressed that Nestle’ is the global main sponsor of the International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) Kids Athletic programme and we are proud to be involved in introducing this new concept in Sri Lanka.
This concept is no doubt going to be a significant one as it is with the aim of promoting the importance of physical activity among the school children. Nestle has also been promoting nutrition awareness programmes in Sri Lanka which was launched in 2010 involving over 11,000 children to date.
Shivani Hedge, Managing Director Nestle Lanka in her address mentioned that as a food and beverage company that strives to be the leader in nutrition, health and wellness in Sri Lanka, we strongly believe that in addition to having a well balanced diet, it’s equally essential to maintain an active and better quality lifestyle.
The inaugural event of the programme will start off from the Central Province due to be held later this month and the official schedule of the remaining events will be notified by the Ministry of Education in due course.