Due to the concerns raised of over the health and safety of 4.5million students and over 200,000 teachers, a group of credible and responsible citizens spearheaded by the members of the Voluntary Initiative for National COVID-19 response effort - Education sector, have come together to request from H. E. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the government of Sri Lanka to refrain from re-opening of schools on the 11^th of May 2020 without a reliable and a transparent plan. The group consisting of academics, policy makers, educationists, development professionals, private sector heads, legal professionals, health professionals and administrators have set forth 6 broader areas of consideration to the attention of the President and the Prime Minister.

In a letter sent to H. E. The President, they noted the importance of implementation of a measured approach with the collaboration and professional advice from Health experts, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, National Child Protection Authority and other relevant stakeholders, and creating a safe environment for all school children and citizens. Assessing the feasibility of reopening of schools on a priority basis, ensuring that the mechanism where containment of the virus is continued and ensuring effective functioning of the education task force with representatives of desired skills and experience in education, health, child development and disaster management was brought to notice. Another suggestion points out the need to learn from foreign expertise where alternative education measures are identified and implemented. It also stresses on the need for provision of necessary school materials to enable children resume their second term and finally, providing a safe environment irrespective of gender, ethnicity and religion and ensuring the implementation of Ministry of Education Circular No. 12/2016 in providing an education free of mental and physical abuse.

The Government of Sri Lanka has taken best possible actions to contain the spread of COVID 19 in Sri Lanka. Among the many timely preventive measures taken, the closure of schools in mid-March and ensuring the safety of every child was a significant decision during that period when the virus was about to expand. All the government authorities in charge of the containment of the virus have done a commendable service prioritizing the safety of the general public. Since it is too early to be relaxed with a gradual improvement on the situation, the citizens are requesting the government to continue monitoring the situation and bank on the collective approach to see an end to this virus at the earliest possible.

The eminent group includes Prof. Savithri Gunasekara Emeritus Professor of Law and Former Vice Chancellor University of Colombo, Prof. Siri Hettige Emeritus Professor of Sociology University of Colombo, Joseph Stalin General Secretary Ceylon Teachers Union, Dinesh Keerthinanda Executive Director International Women’s and Child Rights Council, Dr. Sujata Gamage Co-Coordinator Education Forum Sri Lanka,  Visakha Tillekeratne Chief Commissioner Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association, Rohan Masakorala CEO Shippers’ Academy Colombo, Soraya Marikkar Attorney at Law, Social activist and Interfaith Consultant, Sunila Mendis Former Senior Assistant Secretary to the Former President 1994-2005; Member of Presidential Task Force on Educational Reforms 1998, and Former School Principal, Sidath Wettimuny Chairman Nobles Group of Companies and Former National Cricketer, Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa Head of Department of Family Medicine University of Colombo and Past President Sri Lanka Medical Association, Dr. Tush Wickramanayaka Chairperson Stop Child Cruelty Trust, Manu Tissera  Communications and Advocacy Specialist.

For further clarifications, contact: Conveners of the Voluntary Initiative for National COVID-19 response Effort  Education sector, Dr. Tush Wickramanayaka – Chairperson, Stop Child Cruelty Trust on info@stopchildcruelty.com  and Ms. Manu Tissera – Communications and Advocacy Specialist on manu_tissera@yahoo.com

17 April 2020

His Excellency Gotabaya Rajapaksa

President of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka

Yours Excellency,

Request for a more cautious and considered approach to the re-opening of schools

Since the first person affected by the COVID-19 virus was reported in Sri Lanka in early March, the Government of Sri Lanka has taken commendable measures to contain the situation. Among the many appropriate decisions taken by the government, we highly appreciate the timely decision in mid-March to close all Schools in the country thus taking the safety and security of all school children as a national priority. Regional and international experience in coping with the virus clearly indicates that teaching staff including helpers (in the absence of effective testing) can be asymptomatic and pose a serious health risk to students and to each other. The estimated current student population in government and private schools is approximately 4.5million with over 200,000 teachers in Sri Lanka.

However, as responsible citizens, we are concerned of the recent announcement made by the Presidential media division on 11th April 2020, stating government’s decision to re-open all schools in the country on 11th May 2020. Although we recognize the importance of reopening of schools and ensuring the students can continue their education and return to normalcy, we are further mindful of the complexity and challenges that will be faced by school authorities, students, parents and service providers, in the midst of the current critical pandemic situation without a transparent exit plan from the lengthy period of lockdown status.

Epidemiology of COVID-19- Among Children in China, (Dong Y, et al. Pediatrics. March 16, 2020, http://bit.ly/33ljvcy) has confirmed that “about 4% of children were asymptomatic, 51% had mild illness and 39% had moderate illness. About 6% had severe illness, compared to 18.5% of adults.” This shows the greater risk of transmission of Covid-19 from children to adults causing severe infection in adults necessitating intensive care.

We the undersigned as citizens and persons engaged with issues of public concern in the area of education, call upon you to please refrain from reopening schools on the 11^th of May as indicated in media reports from your office. In doing so we also wish to suggest the following:

• The opening of schools should be made on transparent and reliable factual decision made by the health experts, based on their collective agreement with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, National Child Protection Authority and other relevant stakeholders, on their satisfaction over the containment of the spread of the virus and a safe environment for all school children and citizens.

• Assess the feasibility of reopening schools on a priority basis, i.e students who are sitting for GCE O/L and A/L examinations in 2020, and in areas in the country where there is health clearance obtained with particular attention to maintaining safe distancing in classroom arrangements  ensuring safety of children and staff. A school preparedness plan should be in place that includes early awareness for students, teachers, parents and relevant service providers, suitable facilities and services in schools, as preventive and precautionary actions to contain the spread of the virus.

• To ensure the effective functioning of the Education Task Force with representatives of desired skills and experiences in education, health, child development and disaster management, who will make key recommendations to the sector, in the COVID-19 relief response period and during a stipulated period of time in agreement with the stakeholders as mentioned in point (1) above.

• To learn through foreign expertise especially from the countries where alternative education systems are identified and successfully implemented during the crisis period, to ensure the continuity of school education through alternative means until such time all schools are functioning.

• Identify the provision of essential school materials and supplies to enable children to resume their school second term (on dates collectively agreed based on recommendations (1), (2) and (3) above), as a state support to help parents of a majority of school children, who are faced with financial difficulties in loss of regular income.

• Provide a safe environment of education non-discriminatory of gender, ethnicity, religion and ensure the implementation of Ministry of Education Circular No 12/2016 in providing an education free of mental and physical abuse reminiscent of post Easter tragedy.

Cc:

1. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka
2. P. B. Jayasundara, Secretary to His Excellency the President of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka
3. Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Women, Child Affairs and Social Security
4. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Education and Sports
5. General Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army and Head, National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak
6. Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services
7. Mahinda Deshapriya, Chairman, Election Commission
8. Muditha Vidanapathirana, Chairman, National Child Protection Authority
9. Senior DIG, C.D. Wickramaratne, Acting Inspector General of Police
10. Karu Jayasuriya, Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
11. Rauf Hakeem, National Leader, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
12. R. Sambandan, Leader, Tamil National Alliance
13. Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader, United National Party
14. Mano Ganesan, Democratic People's Front
15. Sajith Premadasa, Leader, Samagi Jana Balawegaya
16. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Leader, Janathan Vimuthi Peramuna

Signatories

1. Savithri Gunasekara – Emeritus Professor of Law and Former Vice Chancellor University of Colombo
2. Siri Hettige – Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Former University of  Colombo
3. Joseph Stalin – General Secretary, Ceylon Teachers Union
4. Dinesh Keerthinanda – Executive Director, International Women’s and Child Rights Council
5. Sujata Gamage, Co-Coordinator, Education Forum Sri Lanka.
6. Visakha Tillekeratne, Chief Commissioner, Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association
7. Rohan Masakorala – CEO, Shippers’ Academy Colombo
8. Soraya Marikkar –Attorney at Law, Social activist and Interfaith consultant
9. Sunila Mendis – Former Senior Assistant Secretary to the Former President, 1994-2005; Member of Presidential Task Force on Educational Reforms, 1998, and Former School Principal
10. Sidath Wettimuny – Chairman, Nobles Group of Companies and Former National Cricketer
11. Ruvaiz Haniffa – Head of Department of Family Medicine, University of Colombo, and Past President Sri Lanka Medical Association
12. Tush Wickramanayaka – Chairperson, Stop Child Cruelty Trust
13. Manu Tissera – Communications and Advocacy Specialist

Conveners of the Voluntary Initiative for National COVID-19 response effort- Education sector. For more information contact.,

• Tush Wickramanayaka – Chairperson, Stop Child Cruelty Trust. info@stopchildcruelty.com (0778272639)
• Ms. Manu Tissera – Communications and Advocacy Specialist. Manu_tissera@yahoo.com (0768718297)