1 October 2022 11:14 am Views - 2625
Measures have been taken to provide a balanced meal at the expense of the government and as an initial step, a nutritious meal for 1,080,000 schoolchildren prior to the reopening of schools, is already in progress, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
While issuing a message relating to the World Children and Elder’s Day, he said, the programme is being carried out to provide a balanced meal with the approval of Health Ministry Nutritionists.
Further, in addition to the allowance paid to pregnant mothers, the government has focused its attention on allowing an additional monthly allowance for families affected by food insecurity, the President said in the statement.
It is our duty to take care of the elderly community who have made great sacrifices to preserve children’s pleasant childhood and the country’s benefit. It is interconnected with our culture.
Food, education, sports, recreation, rest, sleep, mental and health wellbeing are only a few of children’s requirements.
We are both culturally and legally bound to ensure these facilities.
It is my view that it is the responsibility of all parents, teachers and civil society representatives, apart from the government, to fulfil these needs. The contemporary world that adults live in is not the world children see. It is very simple and delicate.
They thirst for curiosity. As adults, we should understand this wisely and make sure to create a unique world for them. If you looks at the past few years, it is evident that the present society is very different from the social background in which the children lived a few years ago.
There are many disclosures made by the media on this. In such a background, it is my duty as the head of state, to ensure that all the children of the country receive a balanced and nutritious diet containing the right amount of calories.
My mission at this moment is to create a developed country for the future generations of this land.
Based on the policy statement presented by me, the required measures for the care of those in poverty and under privileged groups are being carried out in a systematic manner. Let us all join hands in committing ourselves to ushering an era where all children and elders will be taken care of compassionately.