Public views sought:
National plan for trilingual Sri Lanka
The Presidential Secretariat has invited the public to send their
comments and suggestions to be considered for inclusion in the Draft
10-year National Plan for a Trilingual Sri Lanka (2012-2021) which will
be launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa later in the year. The public
can access the draft-plan on the official website www.info.gov.lk.
Responses should be sent before October 12.
According to Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for a
Trilingual Sri Lanka, Presidential Advisor Sunimal Fernando, the
national plan is the first comprehensive document on language planning
in Sri Lanka to originate from a post independence Head of State. It
sets the foundation for a national initiative to be driven by the
President himself to encourage the acquisition of trilingual skills and
competencies by all citizens.
The proposed plan is based on the vision of President Rajapaksa for a
Trilingual Sri Lanka, announced two years ago in February 2009. A vision
confirmed by the results of the Socio-linguistic survey conducted in
August 2010 which demonstrated progressive, liberal views and
aspirations on language learning and language use and a great yearning
for national integration and harmony by people across the ethnic,
linguistic and geographical divide, living in all parts of the country.
According to Fernando one of the main objectives of the proposed
National plan, developed under the guidance of the President and the
direction of Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, will enhance
national harmony, integration and development by liberating knowledge,
opportunity and communication from the clutches of language. Sinhala and
Tamil will be to aggressively developed as the languages of discourse,
debate, discussion and assimilation on all aspects of modern knowledge,
science and technology.
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