Under supervision of Pushpa Aluthgamage:

Third branch of MIA opens in Nugegoda

The third branch of the Montessori Institute of America (MIA) in Sri Lanka was opened at Thilaka Gardens, Nugegoda by the Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena chief guest of the occasion under the patronage of Pushpa Aluthgamage recently.

The main aim of this branch too is to conduct a Montessori Teacher Training programme which is internationally recognized and delivered with modern techniques. Upon the successful completion of the academic course the teacher candidate may apply for verification from the Montessori Institute of America (MIA). MIA, is a charter member of the Montessori Accreditation Council for teacher Education (MACTE) and is recognized internationally.

Mrs. Pushpa Aluthgamage, who is a graduate of the Montessori Institute of America has over 15 years of experience as a Montessorian. While serving as a board director for MIA she also held the International licence for Sri Lanka. She is also the President of Early Childhood Educators Association of Sri Lanka. She has also founded and administers the Montessori World, Nugegoda and Tiny Tots Montessori, Kiribathkumbura, Kandy.

In 2003, Mrs. Aluthgamage introduced the International Teacher Training Programme to Sri Lanka in collaboration with MIA. 189 Students who have completed their diplomas successfully, are now employed as teachers or conducting their own Montessori in USA, Canada, England, Australia, Singapore and in many middle eastern countries.

In 2007 she introduced a Teacher Training programme tailor made to suit the Sri Lankan Education sector.

So far about 90 students have successfully completed this programme and now work as teachers all over Sri Lanka . A few of them have gone on to open their own Montessories.

Mrs. Aluthgamage participated as a special invitee at the Annual conference of All Japan Montessori Association, in 2006 in Japan represented Sri Lanka. The Japanese Montessorians who were well taken up by her presentation have funded the latest branch of this MIA, in Sri Lanka.