Health guidelines to resume schools sports by next week
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The meeting between officials of Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports took place to discuss the possibilitie of resuming schools sports events within the coming weeks. The outcome of the meeting was productive according to officials - Pic courtesy MoH Media
The Ministry of Health (MoH) will issue new guidelines within the coming week with regard to reviving schools sports activities according to an official statement issued. This decision was taken at a special discussion held between the Minister of Health, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Namal Rajapaksa at the MoH on Wednesday.
“Sri Lanka is one of the countries in the world that has been highly impacted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As other countries in the world, all sports related events came to a standstill and both Ministries are looking at the possibilities of making a return of sports activities at schools,” the statement, issued after the discussion on how Sri Lanka could manage the comeback of schools sports, said.
During the discussion Minister of Sports (MoS), Namal Rajapaksa outlined the importance of restarting sports activities in schools after being deactivated for almost six months, while seriously focusing on important facts such as restructuring and rebuilding schools sports, conducting Inter-School sports events, following proper health guidelines in handling sports equipments and comprehensively rebuilding the field of sports during the coming weeks and months.
The Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi detailed that if sports events resume, health protocols should be adhered with high importance.
“Events should take place following quarantine regulations and health guidelines issued by the MoH. Under any circumstances schoolchildren with allergies and complications should not be allowed to take part in events,” she stated.
Both the MoH and MoS have collectively agreed to meet the officials of Ministry of Education (MoE) on going forward with the proposal of resuming schools sports events, before releasing a circular or guidelines, to be followed by the organisers, conductors and participants.
It was discussed that the MoH would prepare a document to the MoS and MoE, on the guidelines to be strictly followed within the next week, before coming to a final decision on when sports events should take place or otherwise. The discussion was headed by both ministers with officials from both ministries taking part.