ComBank takes English education to rural areas

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has embarked on its second initiative to take English language education to children in rural areas, to supplement the Bank's countrywide IT education program.

The Bank has obtained the services of Life English Academy (LEA), to conduct this program as an extra-curricular activity at selected schools across the country.

The inaugural program began on September 27 at Kiriella Madya Maha Vidyalaya in Ratnapura, for over 250 students aged 16 and above, with funding and training equipment provided by the Commercial Bank CSR Trust.

The inaugural program of the Commercial Bank’s English education project in progress.

The first program comprising 16 two-hour lessons spread over four months, will conclude in February 2013. It will thereafter be replicated in other rural areas.

Commercial Bank's Managing Director and CEO, Ravi Dias said, "These are two areas that are critically important to the future development of the country.

In this age of knowledge driven economies, Sri Lanka's development is dependent on the development of the skills and knowledge of the younger generation, and as the country's leading bank, we believe it is our responsibility to contribute tangibly to these areas."

He said the Bank already has in place a well-evolved, on-going program of donating IT training facilities to needy schools which has benefited more than 25,000 students, and the Bank hopes to build this new initiative along the same lines. Dias said the two community programs promoting IT literacy and English education reflect the Commercial Bank's own vision of being the most technically advanced Bank in the country, and are an articulation of the Bank's brand positioning of 'for a better future.'

"The overall goal of our Corporate Social Responsibility policy is to generate measurable and sustainable social dividends for different segments of society, in particular those which require empowerment and enrichment," Dias said.

"These programs represent a pledge by Commercial Bank to contribute tangibly to help young Sri Lankans become more competitive in the global context."

The structured English education will focus on spoken English and basic writing skills as required for personal development. Each student would receive up to 32 hours of contact with the trainers of the Life English Academy, led by Ms Noeline Honter, the Academy's Director and CEO and Lead Trainer.

"The Commercial Bank will provide a laptop computer, multimedia and PA system and complimentary stationery to the students undergoing training. The classes at Kiriella MMV will take place in two sessions after school hours, twice a week, with a break in December on account of the school vacation and the GCE Ordinary Level examination," a spokesman for the bank said.