Nearly seven children of school-going age died after they drowned countrywide last week due to their carelessness and the negligence of parents while they were frolicking in waterways due to floods.
The authorities on a number of occasions had warned people not to play or swim in the flood waters during the past week but many youngsters did not heed those warnings, Kurunegala district Senior Director of Education, W.M.Balasooriya told the Sunday Observer.
He said despite the warnings, some adults who were under the influence of drugs and liquor were also reported to have drowned while frolicking in the flood waters.
Police said nearly 138 people including youth, students and women had died due to drowning last year while they were bathing, swimming and frolicking in waterways, rivers and the sea. Most of them had lost their lives due to carelessness.
Balasooriya said that 156 people had died in 2022 due to drowning while swimming, bathing and frolicking in waterways and rivers while going on picnics, pilgrimages and educational tours.
The Education Ministry, therefore, in a circular to all school heads countrywide on Thursday, June 6, informed parents that they should educate children on the risk of swimming and frolicking in waterways and rivers during floods, he said.
“If these tragic incidents take place during school hours or while educational tours are being conducted, the school heads and the teachers will be answerable for such tragic deaths,” the circular added.
