Forty four schoolchildren have died and eight are reported missing due to the adverse weather conditions experienced a few days ago, Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said.
The most number of students’ deaths was reported from the Ratnapura district amounting to 15. As a province the largest number of student deaths was reported from the Sabaragamuwa province amounting to 17. Of the 44 student deaths, six cases were reported from the Matara district while four from the Hambantota district.
However, no student’s death is reported from the Galle district despite most parts of the district being badly affected by floods. A significant number of students are still at welfare camps.
The Minister said dry rations and items including study materials are collected at every national school countrywide to be handed over to the needy people especially to students. A relief pack, which contains uniform materials, text books, exercise books etc, will be handed over to affected students.
The Minister requested the Education Co-operative Society (EDCS) to give priority to teachers who are affected by bad weather when offering loans especially when granting distress loans.
The Minister said that he will submit a Cabinet papers aiming to renovate the schools, which destroyed by the adverse weather. Besides, an anther Cabinet paper will be submitted aiming to reconstruct dilapidated school buildings, that decades old with immediate effect.