23 September 2022 07:05 am Views - 119
By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera
Heated arguments erupted in Parliament yesterday when opposition MPs claimed that school children had faced serious issues without having to obtain a proper meal and that the government has been unable to provide them with a nutritious meal. SLPP MP K.P.S. Kumarasiri told Parliament that about 20 students in three schools in Vilachchiya, Anuradhapura had fainted during school time due to starvation and that a student in Minuwangoda had brought kernel of young coconut for lunch.
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said media and some officials had given unnecessary publicity to several isolated incidents and tried to generalise the issue.
“We admit that there is an issue. But, we can’t generalise the issue based on these isolated incidents. I personally contacted the principal of the school in Minuwangoda, and she denied the incident. I will look into the incident in Vilachchiya,” he said.
The Minister said some officials with vested interests were fabricating and magnifying the situation and added that the claim made by a doctor in Hambantota that malnutrition was observed among 80 per cent of school children in Hambantota was found to be baseless. “The area health officials have officially informed me that malnutrition among children in Hambantota is only 5 per cent,” he said.
SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna said the government must accept the ground situation and find solutions without accusing officials.
“The impact of this issue will be felt in the long term. We must feed the children before spending money on new ministers and state ministers,” he said.
Parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma said about 1.1 million school children have been affected for two years after the programme to provide free meals to school children were stopped.
“In some schools, rice banks have been set up by the principals and teachers. The government has been unable to provide free meal to school children for the last two years,” he said.