Improving English language training

A major initiative aimed at improving the teaching skills of English teachers in the country was launched by the government recently.

This programme intends to improve the English-teaching skills of teachers both in the private and public sectors, train in English for business outsourcing, enourage the use of new methods to teach the English language through electronic media, and provide access to a large number of people especially from the low income categories to grasp a working knowledge of English.

‘English Teaching Business Mela’, a business exchange project, was organised in Colombo as part of this programme by the Board of Investment (BoI) of the Ministry of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion in collaboration with the Presidential Secretariat.

This event brought together Indian and Sri Lankan investors to explore the possibility of joint ventures in English language teaching in Sri Lanka. Investment in these ventures will attract a range of BoI concessions, increasing their attraction for investors.

This job-oriented programme titled ‘English as a Life Skill’ seeks, in the short term, to produce at least 50,000 persons with communication skills in English that can serve in any capacity, especially in the services sector such as IT-related Business Process Outsourcing industries.

The programme is jointly organised by the Presidential Secretariat and the BoI, with the assistance of the High Commission for India in Sri Lanka.

Recruitment drive

Meanwhile, the final interviews for the recruitment of English teachers to serve in remote schools was held recently. Through these interviews, the government plans to recruit 1000 English teachers to serve in schools in remote areas including in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. They will be commissioned under the National Cadet Corps as probationary officers.

Dengue Control Week

A Dengue Control Week implemented throughout the country from April 28 concluded yesterday.

The series of programmes was jointly conducted by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry and the National Dengue Control Unit. The project was organised to combat dengue and increase awareness and educate the public especially schoolchildren on preventing the spread of this deadly disease.

Priority was given to controlling mosquito density, inducing the community to destroy mosquito breeding and cleaning workplaces and public places with the participation of the community.

Awareness programmes for schoolchildren and the public, conducted by local government institutions was a part of the programme. Nearly 2,359 dengue patients and eight deaths due to the mosquito-borne disease have been reported upto April this year.

This is a 30 per cent increase in the number of patients compared to last year. Most patients were from the Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Kurunegala districts. Meanwhile, the National Dengue Control Unit has requested the public to assist these measures carried out by the State sector by cleaning up their houses, compounds, workplaces and schools every week.

Much interest in Ramayana Trail

Ever since the launch in January of ‘Sri Lanka’s Ramayana Trail’ - a religious and spiritual tourism venture by Sri Lanka - tour operators have been flooded with enquiries from India.

The trail, that can be anything between one and three weeks, comprises a maximum of 25 locations spread across central and western Sri Lanka. Among the attractions is the Ravana Cave at Ella, 220 km from Colombo.

According to legend, it served as a quick means of transport through the hills for Ravana. Even a research study called Following the Trail of Ramayana in Sri Lanka is under way.

“The study is based on the compilation of research conducted by academics from India and Sri Lanka over the years. We are a team of six active members, including three Indians,” said T.Y. Sunderasan, director of the study.

- Hindustan Times

Working people in the spotlight

By now, all the furore(excitement) over this year’s May Day would probably have died down. Children like you may not even think of the importance of this day other than the fact that you get a break from school. Also, in Sri Lanka as well as many other parts of the world, this event has become largely politicised now.

However, May Day (May 1) is an important day especially for the world’s working population. Since you would also join the world’s workforce some day, it’s important that you know the significance of this day as this is when the world talks about workers’ rights.

The resolution making May Day an international event was adopted in Paris on July 14, 1889. At the next congress, held in 1891 in Brussels, Belgium, it was highlighted that besides demanding an eight-hour working day, that the day must also serve as a demonstration on behalf of the demands to improve working conditions, and to ensure peace among nations.

Later, in the 20th century, the holiday received the official support of the Soviet Union, and came to be celebrated also as the Day of the International Solidarity of Workers.

Mangroves to protect coastal areas

A regional forum was held in Sri Lanka recently under the Mangroves For the Future (MFF) project for six countries which were affected by the December 2004 tsunami. Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles and Thailand were the six countries which were respresented at the forum which was sponsored by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The MFF intends to develop the coastal environment and promote investment in coastal ecosystem management. Mangroves could act as a natural barrier against tsunamis, thus reducing the vulnerability(possibility of exposure) of coastal communities.

The MFF, which was initiated by the IUCN, has now expanded to include several UN agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation and UN Environment Programme and international development organisations such as CARE and Wetlands International. Sri Lanka’s Environment and Natural Resources Ministry is also involved in the MFF.