Save the Children assists NorthEast early childhood development

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 February 2006, 02:10 GMT]
Save the Children in Sri Lanka (SCI-SL) Monday handed over a consignment of materials which included a vehicle, motor bikes, computers, scanners, generators, digital cameras and video equipments and computer chairs and related items worth four million rupees to the North East Provincial Education Ministry to develop its Early Childhood Development (ECD) Unit, civil society sources said.

Mr.S.Arulnesan, District Manager of the SCI-SL handed over the items to Mr.R.Thiagalingam, Provincial Education Ministry Secretary at an event held in the provincial education ministry building. The project was funded by the SCI-Italy, sources said.

Ms Jeya Thambiah, Assistant Director of Education, ECD of the provincial education ministry made the welcome address.

Mr.S.Varathaseelan, Partnership Development Manager (PDM) in SCI-SL in Trincomalee said, the provincial council system was introduced in the island under the thirteenth amendment to the constitution. Only the North East Provincial Education Ministry in the country had introduced the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Unit in 1998 using its power conferred on it under the thirteenth amendment to register pre-schools in the province.

Mr.Sundaram Divakalala, the then Secretary of the NE Education Ministry was the pioneer in introducing the ECD unit and he should be commended for this achievement, Mr.Varathaseelan said.

Mr.Arulnesan said the SCI-SL is in the forefront to safeguard the rights of children by providing all facilities and it would continue to provide all assistance in future for the successful implementation of the Early Childhood Development projects in the northeast province.

Mr.Thiagalingam, Provincial Education Ministry Secretary thanked the SCI-SL for its timely assistance. ECD of the provincial education ministry has committed its self to take forward the early childhood development activities with the assistance of SCI-SL.

Mr.S.Thvanathan, Assistant Director of Education (ECD) proposed vote of thanks.