Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has stressed that having a disability or other special needs should never be a barrier to a child’s future, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building an inclusive society that provides equal opportunities for all.
She made these remarks today (20) at an event held at Temple Trees to honour Girl Guides who received the “Blue All Round Cord,” the highest award in the Differently Abled Branch of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association.
The Prime Minister said the government is implementing several programmes aimed at empowering persons with disabilities, including a special allowance of Rs. 100,000 for university students with special needs under the first phase of a programme funded through the President’s Fund.
She also said more than Rs. 37.4 billion has been allocated for persons with disabilities, people with special needs and their families. In addition, Rs. 10 million has been allocated to the relevant ministry to formulate a national policy on the empowerment of persons with disabilities and implement community-level programmes.
Under a three-year university hostel development project covering around 16,000 students, facilities are also being upgraded to ensure they are accessible to students with disabilities, she said.
The government has further initiated programmes to provide assistive technology and digital educational materials for children with disabilities and is taking steps to remove barriers to university and vocational education, the Prime Minister added.
Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya said one of the greatest concerns of many parents is what will happen to their children when they are no longer around. Therefore, she stressed the importance of creating the economic foundation and developing the skills necessary for children with disabilities to lead independent lives.
“A prosperous and beautiful country is not created through economic development alone. Life becomes better by building a society that loves, accepts and respects everyone,” she said.
She also told the award-winning Girl Guides that society has much to learn from them about empathy, self-confidence and courage.
Representatives of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association, including President Swarnika Pitigala, Chief Commissioner Dr. Kusumtha Herath, Deputy Chief Commissioner Nirmali William and Assistant Commissioner Naduni Wickramatunga, along with children and their parents, attended the event.
