- All children should have the opportunity to undergo mandatory pre-school, school and Dhamma school education…
- Search for international methods on child development…
President instructs officials
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stresses that the security of children should be strengthened at the rural level.
According to the information revealed, the majority of the children employed as child labourers are from the estate sector. The President pointed out that the necessary authority should be exercised at the Grama Niladhari Division level to prevent this plight. Grama Niladhari officers possess the information on families in the estate sector. The President added that immediate action is imperative when a child is missing from a household in order to put an end to child labour.
The President made these remarks at a discussion held with the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and line institutes at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (05).
Special attention has been paid to empowering children and women in the national policy framework “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”. A separate state ministry has been established to accomplish this.
While commending the State Ministry’s efforts to prevent violence against children and women, the President highlighted the importance of studying the research conducted on child development in other countries and the possibility of implementing those mechanisms in urban and rural areas.
The President stated that the main responsibility of the Child Protection Authority is to direct all children to undergo mandatory pre-school, school and Dhamma school education and to find out the reasons for children failing to attend schools and provide solutions. The President pointed out that the relationship between the children and parents could be strengthened through the cultivation of spiritual virtues by encouraging the children belonging to all religions to attend religious schools.
President Rajapaksa stressed the need to safeguard the children from drug addiction and at the same time to study and address the factors that motivated them to use these drugs.
