The District Child Development Committee, which examines the progress of the district regarding child protection and child development, met today (26) in the morning under the leadership of the District Governor/District Secretary Mr. Ranjana Jayasinghe in the auditorium of the District Secretariat.

Accordingly, the committee focused on several issues related to children's health, drugs, child abuse and child abuse, education, trust, security and institutionalization, orphans, elimination of child labor as well as regional children's committees at the divisional level.

Among the high level exams this year, it appears that the results of art and commerce subjects have decreased in the district and this is due to the shortage of teachers, especially the shortage of Tamil media teachers has been severely affected and as a solution to this, recruitment of new teachers will be done soon in Sabaragamuwa province. It was also stated that there is a risk of deterioration of the health of school children due to mental stress and restlessness among children in grades four and five. Also, the need to regulate the quality of international schools, the excessive use of mobile phones among school students, popularizing sex education among children, and many other issues were drawn attention here.

It was read here that there is a high risk of sexual abuse of disabled children and the Department of Social Services will pay more attention to it in the future under community-based rehabilitation programs. It was also stated that the construction of the Minuwangamuwa Child Development Center is currently underway in relation to the probation process.

Attention was drawn here regarding child labor and there is no official information that children below the age of 16 are resorting to it, but the need to inform the community around the estates was pointed out. It was also stated here that by the year 2025, the support of all officials should be given for a child labor free country.

In addition, the birth weight of children, poor nutrition, the increase in the number of child mothers, preventing mothers of young children from leaving the country, and many other issues related to women were also discussed here.

Additional District Secretary (Control) Dinisha S. Rathnayake, Assistant District Secretary Malsha L. Priyadarshani, District Planning Director A.A. Weerakoon, District Samurdhi Director T.A.P. Kusumsiri, Divisional Secretaries, Assistant Divisional Secretaries,  a group of officials of health, police, education, early childhood, child rights, counseling, and probation were present.