The Ministry of Education states that in view of the spread of the coronavirus in the country, a decision will be taken regarding the participation of school children in the 73rd Independence Day celebrations.

It was reported recently that three cadets of the Badulla-Passara National School who were selected to march in the National Independence Day Parade had contracted coronavirus.

Accordingly, the subsequent PCR tests revealed that seven more students at the school had also been infected with the virus.

It has also been revealed that a student of a school in the Kudagama area in Hatton has been infected with the virus.

Joseph Stalin, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers' Union said that in such a background, considering the safety of school children and other factors, it would be dangerous to involve school children in the Independence Day celebrations as well as any other celebrations.

The Hiru news team inquired from the Secretary to the Ministry of Education Prof. Kapila Perera regarding this developing situation and he stated that the decision to allow students to participate in the National Independence Day celebrations will be taken only on the advice of the officials of the Ministry of Health.