Uniform material before December

Now that you are nearing the closing of the school year for 2006, you must be eagerly waiting for your new textbooks and school uniforms. The Education Ministry has assured that all schoolchildren throughout the island will receive the material for their school uniforms for the next year, before December 7.

A sum of Rs. 1,200 million has been set apart by the Ministry towards this project. Distribution activities in seven districts - Hambantota, Kalutara, Polonnaruwa, Matara, Matale, Puttalam and Kegalle - have already been covered.

Zonal education offices are carrying out the distribution, and over six million packets of uniform material are due to be distributed by these offices by November 26.

SAARC Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will be the location of a new SAARC Cultural Centre, which is to be set up with the objective of promoting cultural cooperation in the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) region.

According to Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Minister, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, this decision had been taken at a recent meeting of SAARC cultural ministers held in Colombo. This was one of several important decisions taken at this meeting, held to promote cultural cooperation among member countries.

Matara has been identified as the best location for this cultural centre and to promote architectural designing, academic aspects, national heritage including cultural and religious traditions in the region. The construction work for the centre is expected to start next January.

The meeting of ministers also focused on establishing a SAARC Museum of Textiles and Handicrafts in India.

This proposal has stressed the need to preserve and promote civilisation and cultural heritage in South Asia. Many concessions and various facilities will be extended towards these projects by SAARC member countries.

Programme to upgrade school facilities

Sisu Diriya, a programme which seeks to upgrade the existing facilities in local schools, will be launched today. Forty schools from various parts of the country have been selected for the project, according to the Vocational and Technical Training Ministry.

This programme includes the repairing of school desks and other equipment so that they can be reused, and providing electricity to schools that currently lack the facility. Students currently following vocational training courses and instructors, will be assigned to carry out these tasks.

While these students will gain practical experience by being involved in this programme, they will also get an opportunity to serve their villages and the country. School leavers who wish to join the vocational training sector will also receive guidance under a special advisory programme. Mahinda College, Galle; Maduwa Junior School, Balapitiya; Poddiwela Maha Vidyalaya, Pannananda Maha Vidyalaya, Beliatte; Kandawela Maha Vidyalaya, Ratmalana; Gamini Maha Vidyalaya, Ratmalana; Bellankadawela Maha Vidyalaya, Thambuttegama and Seevali Maha Vidyalaya, Polonnaruwa are some of the schools that have been earmarked for the programme.

It will be launched with the support of school principals, staff, school development societies, past pupils associations and civil organisations.

O/Levels in India

You may not know that hundreds of Sri Lankans including children like you are living in neighbouring India as refugees. They are the people who have been displaced due to the conflict in the island, and have lost their homes.

Most of them are currently in areas like Tamil Nadu. Among these children, there are over 100 who are due to sit for their GCE O/L Examination this year. Now, these students won't lose out, as the Examinations Department has agreed to conduct the examination in Tamil Nadu too, for their benefit.

This decision had been made in response to a request made by Sri Lanka's Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai to the Secretary of the Education Ministry and to the Examination Commissioner.

Accordingly, three officials from the Examinations Department will go to Chennai to conduct the examination in December. They will be assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Education Ministry has also planned to send seven teachers from the North and East to help these children learn the subjects they studied when they were in Sri Lanka. These classes are to be held at Ramanapuram, Tamil Nadu. The Nation Building Ministry has received the clearance to send school books to these children.

The Deputy High Commissioner has said that over 15,000 Lankans live in Tamil Nadu, of which around 27 per cent are children below the age of 16.

St. Benedict's playground re-opened

Sunday, November 4 was picnic day for the students of St. Benedict's College, Colombo 13. The day-long picnic of this 141-year-old boys' school included not only the present students, but the past students, parents and well-wishers too.

The day was especially important because the college playground was re-opened, having been closed for two years. This playground has produced many cricketers, footballers, hockey players, rugby players, athletes and other sportsmen.

Many of them went on to play for their country. But, for the past 30 years or more, when it rained even slightly, the playground went under water. Many school matches were not played and the standard of the school's sports activities deteriorated.

It took two years and 30 million rupees to rebuild the ground, at a higher level, with underground pipes and drainage to get the rain water out.

The opening parade consisted of Kandyan and low country dancers, drummers and percussion bands, cyclists, cricketers, footballers, basketball players, rugby players, tennis and badminton players. Different sporting events took place in the newly re-opened playground.

Elmo Leonard