President Gotabaya Rajapaksa joined in celebrating World Children’s Day by donating mobile libraries to schools in five districts.
The President said a library and sports will help children maintain a balance between their physical and mental well-being, and added that he was convinced of this fact during his recent visits across the country.
Following requests by children, the construction of several playgrounds in remote areas of the country is now under way.
Library facilities for 25 selected schools representing each district were provided. To mark World Children’s Day on October 1, the Reading Month commenced. President Rajapaksa invited students from five schools on Thursday (October 1) and donated five mobile libraries to motivate the next generation to read books.
The President symbolically donated five libraries to Lunuwila Anuruddha Central College, Puttalam; Dolosbage Kanishta Vidyalaya, Gampola; Government Tamil Mixed School, Tharmapuram; Vijaya Kumaratunga Vidyalaya, Kuruwita and Pilana Vidyarthodaya Maha Vidyalaya, Galle. Buses that were out of commission were repaired and equipped as libraries for children. Each fully- fledged library cost around Rs. 1 million.
Mobitel provided e-library facilities thereby enabling students to study Information Technology and refer e-books online. The project to provide libraries was sponsored by the Sri Lanka Transportation Board (SLTB), Manusath Derana, National Library and Documentation Services Board and SLT Telecom and Mobitel. The books donated by the publishers at the annual book exhibition at the BMICH were also handed over to these libraries. The President had a cordial conversation with the students and invited them to see the Presidential Secretariat.
- PMD