Special programmes such as counselings and other activities will take place in schools today and tomorrow to make the children familiarise with the school environment after staying at home for more than six months due to COVID pandemic, Education Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera said. 

He told the Daily Mirror that relevant documents and books notifying the programmes have already been sent to the schools.

"The grade one children who were admitted to schools, could not come to begin their educational activities after day one. The grade two children had to stop coming to school for more than six months. The children of grade three, four, and five students too had the same experience, "he said.

"No educational activities will be conducted today and tomorrow. Instead of that, separate programmes were scheduled to take place for separate grades. These activities will rekindle the time they had spent in schools before the abrupt closure. It will also help them to remember their classmates, friends and teaching staff students, and give them an opportunity to recall what and why a school is a better place to learn and make friends from grade one onwards, " he said.

The mentality of the children and the parents have changed due to online learning and the  teacher/principal trade union action, he said.

According to the ministry secretary, conducting these programmes were decided at a meeting with specialists in psychiatry, community health, and paediatrics at the ministry.

Moreover, Prof. Perera said one principals' union and teachers' union had agreed to report for duty from today. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)