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English language usage in practical based activities from next year: Minister

18 November 2022 04:25 pm - 13     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The practical use of English language for first year students is scheduled to start from March 2023, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

He said this during an event held today to train teachers to implement the program at the National Institute of Education (NIE) The event took place under the patronage of the Minister.

Addressing the event, the minister emphasized the importance of learning English as an international link language in addition to the mother tongue in moving forward with technology.

"If not, it is inevitable that the class gap will widen in the rapidly-advancing society and the jobs in the world in future will be limited to only a certain group of people. He aslo said that the emergence of endless struggles along roads will become a common sight," the minister said.

"About 450 trainers have been selected for this purpose covering the whole country. After providing formal residential training, the teachers who teach the first class in the primary section of all schools are trained by these trainers," he said.

Following this provincial teacher training program, from the first school term of the next year, the plan to use the English language based on practical activities will be implemented. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)


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  Comments - 13

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  • Nihal Amarasekera Friday, 18 November 2022 05:45 PM

    One small step leading to one giant leap in English proficiency?

    Dee Friday, 18 November 2022 08:52 PM

    Very positive move. Otherwise when children are thought the alphabet by singing ' elamenopee' they will start to think that L,M,N,O,P is one word! And the worst part is they all go for tution and all become 'island best' and think that they know English more than the King of England. Actually even the tution masters can't have a decent conversation in English without murdering the King.

    Ranjan Friday, 18 November 2022 11:55 PM

    Start from parliamentarians please. Reminds how a politico was apologizing the Russian head regarding the flight was seized. It was hilarious.

    A Saturday, 19 November 2022 12:39 AM

    At least u woke up now hope the all powerfull Buddhist Monks won't end it ....

    Waco Saturday, 19 November 2022 05:28 AM

    This programme will die a natural death. Start English medium 100% ,all over. Get teachers from overseas, if required. In three months time all will have a working knowledge of English.

    Reformist Saturday, 19 November 2022 05:36 AM

    You can't be proficient in English overnight. Successive governments in SL neglected this and left it to people' own devices. When I was in university years ago, vast majority of students could barely speak and write good English and these students (male/female) had come from so called leading schools (I wasn't). A handful of people who were fluent in English had come from village schools (Central schools) and had learned it themselves (myself included). All of them went abroad for post graduate studies (via their own efforts) and never came back to SL. So many English teachers in SL schools can't even speak and write proper English. How can they teach others? Agree, you have to start somewhere, but give it the right emphasis, rather than flooding SL universities with arts graduates. People proficient in English can at least drive a taxi abroad and earn a living. SL is far behind in this to India, Malaysia, Singapore and many African countries.

    Gehan Saturday, 19 November 2022 08:05 AM

    First find teachers capable of speaking and comprehending English. Otherwise it will be another case of the blind leading the blind!

    Wije Saturday, 19 November 2022 08:44 AM

    This is very essential, In the international job market this is a key reason our workers failed to get jobs

    Jude Saturday, 19 November 2022 09:05 AM

    More emphasis should be given on teaching English to all students in the whole island!!

    Jude Saturday, 19 November 2022 09:11 AM

    There was this stupid rule by education Ministry that students NOT allowed to do Advance Level in English medium if you have done your O/L's in Sinhalese !! Don't know still it's the same!! Huh!!

    vince Saturday, 19 November 2022 12:36 PM

    you can learn better on youtube. Just search for English for non English speakers.

    Citizen k Saturday, 19 November 2022 01:45 PM

    Start with grade 1 classes and after a decade there will be impact in schools.Ask the retired teachers from international schools ask for volunteers among parents and slowly a transformation will take place.you cannot hurry it.

    Singlish? Tamilish? Sunday, 20 November 2022 07:35 AM

    No comments about the past. Let us learn learn English with proper grammar. Common mistake in Sri Lanka:- "I told you NO?" මම කිව්වා නේද? I gave you NO?" මම දුන්නේ නේද? Naan sonnan thanay? Naan kodutthen thanay? If you ask them to write the sentence, they are caught. The sad part is even highly qualified people make this mistake, and they don't realize it. Is this Singlish or Tamilish?


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