Education Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday said the closure of schools due to COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on the future of children but the government is committed to ensure a better future for all children and this reopening of schools will give pride of place for their health and security as well.
“The re-opening of schools does not in any way mean that the government should continue academic activities putting the children health at risk,” he said.
Prof. Peiris said that the World Health Organization has already announced that the coronavirus will be over in under two and half years.
“It is not practical to keep schools closed under this situation crippling the education of our younger generation.The government took a policy decision to reopen the school by effectively facing the COVID-19 challenge”, he said
The Education Minister was speaking at a felicitation of ten Grade 5 students who obtained the maximum marks at the recently concluded Grade 5 Scholarship examination, held at the Education Ministry yesterday.
These students who made the remakable achievement at this examination received smart boards from the Minister. The programme was sponsored by e-Wis company.
Prof. Peiris said the country is blessed with human resources that has creative and intuitive talents. The Minister said that the Grade 5 scholarship examination was conducted successfully in the face of COVID-19 pandemic due to the dedication of the educational, health authorities, students and parents.
“The Ministry was able to successfully overcome challenges by conducting the examination,” State Ministers Susil Premajayanth, Piyal Nishantha De Silva, Vijith Berugoda and Seetha Arambepola and e-Wis Company chairman Sanjeewa Wickremanayake were present.
(Daily News)