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Students with a difference

by Maharagama special correspondent, Vehelle Piyathilaka

Amidst all the unkind and boisterous acts happening in Universities, schools, private institutions even at the end of the GCE Ordinary Level examination we heard a consoling piece of news from Kiriwattuduwa Maha Vidyalaya in the Homagama Zonal Education Division.

Kiriwattuduwa Maha Vidyalaya does not have an Advanced Level Class, G.C.E. (O/L) is the highest class of the school.

The day came for the Grade 11 children to say goodbye to the school. 42 students were in the class. They thought of paying gratitude to their school for giving shelter and education for 11 years. There was no flag stand for the school. They built a flag stand with three flag staffs. They hoisted lion, school and Buddhist flags on them, as the flags were fluttering in the air they presented it to the school in a simple ceremony. They made a neat Pirith Mandapaya of their own and organised a seth pirith ceremony to bless the staff and brother students.

The parents who can afford to send their children to favourite schools took them out of the school whereas the poor children were left.

They wanted to present their teachers with a commemorative plaque. They were unable to spend money over that. They prepared memento plaques with wood on their own. The school leaving ceremony was held inviting all the teachers, parents and the children. A handwritten magazine pujawara was launched at the ceremony. They treated teachers, parents and children with sweets and soft drinks. Some children had collected their share of money for the ceremony by working in building sites as helpers.

Thirty three memento plaques were prepared. They presented the first plaque to their class teacher for two years. Mrs. Mala Kanthi. It was a touching scene to see the children departing from the school that sheltered them for 11 years shedding tears of gratitude.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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