The Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, Mr. N. Vethanayahan, stated that a programme has been launched today to instill in schoolchildren, from a young age, the values of respecting, loving, and protecting nature, thereby transforming them into a future society that safeguards the environment. He further emphasized that it is the responsibility of the present generation to preserve nature and hand it over to the next generation.
Under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka Programme’, jointly implemented by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, in collaboration with the Hathabima Authority, the provincial-level event of the concept “Natural Learning Field” was inaugurated today – Thursday, 02nd October 2025 at Yogapuram Maha Vidyalaya, Mullaitivu. The programme was held under the leadership of the school principal, Mr. T. Premachandran.
Participating as the Chief Guest, the Governor stated in his address that, this programme forms part of the Clean Sri Lanka Initiative introduced by His Excellency the President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake. A total of 50 schools have been selected for implementation. The national-level programme is being held simultaneously at Rathmalana Hindu College, Colombo, under the leadership of the Hon. Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Harini Amarasuriya. In each province, one school was selected to launch the initiative, and accordingly, your school was chosen for today’s event.
“At present, we are destroying nature indiscriminately, and we are immediately experiencing its consequences. Climate change has become one of the most pressing challenges faced globally. We are unable to even predict rainfall patterns, which in turn affects agriculture.
It is with this in mind that our government has introduced a school-based programme to promote the protection of nature. The responsibility of creating green zones lies with you, the students. This must not be limited only to schools and schoolchildren; parents and the wider community must also contribute. As schools begin to flourish with green spaces, society too should adopt this practice. We must work to restore the nature that has already been destroyed.
I wish to commend the S-loan Company for coming forward to offer prizes to children for nurturing and protecting the trees they plant. This will encourage students to grow more trees. When you return 10 or 15 years from now and see the trees you planted thriving, the joy you experience will be incomparable. This initiative will soon be expanded to other schools as well,” said the Governor.
Following the hoisting of the National Flag and delivering his address, the Governor, together with other guests, joined the schoolchildren in planting trees.
The event was attended by the Director of Planning of the Ministry of Education – Northern Province, the Zonal Directors of Education from Thunukkai and Mullaitivu zones, the Additional Provincial Director of Education – Northern Province, the Assistant Provincial Director of Education – Northern Province, the Deputy District Director of Agriculture, the Regional Manager of the Clean Sri Lanka Initiative (Hathabima Authority – Northern Region), and the Regional Sales Manager of S-loan Company.
