Correct and methodical training must from childhood:

ANCL Chairman

Maharagama special correspondent

Children should be given correct and methodical training from childhood, said ANCL Chairman Janadasa Peiris.

"Elders are divided into many sectors according to religion, social, language, colour, and race. We are unable to unite or correct them. Therefore our utmost responsibility is to correct and save children from their early childhood," he told the inaugural ceremony of the Diploma Course for pre-school teachers conducted by the Lyceum International School Teacher Training Academy at Nugegoda recently.

The free early childhood development teachers diploma course is a joint venture of the Lyceum Teacher Training Academy and Lake House. Lessons and hints of the diploma course are published in the Tharunee paper.

Peiris who was the chief guest, said, "it is the duty and responsibility of the national media institution to help projects conducted by any institution for the well-being of the society.

Conducting a free early childhood development diploma course for pre-school teachers is a great social service accomplished by Lyceum Teachers Training Academy," he said.

The foundation of a building should be firm and strong. Otherwise it will collapse. Likewise children should be given correct and methodical training from childhood, the ANCL Chairman said.

He said: "For that we need highly qualified and trained pre-school teachers. A national policy for pre-school education should be framed by the government. This government has introduced new education reforms to schools.

The pre-school service has also become a self-employment venture. There are more than 10,000 pre-schools islandwide. But most teachers are without proper training. The Lyceum Pre-School Teachers Diploma Course will meet this lapse."

Lyceum Teachers Training Academy, Managing Director, Mohan Lal Grero said, there are more than 20,000 pre-school teachers conducting early childhood development centres without a proper training.

There are pre-school teachers training courses conducted by the private sector, but there is no harmony in teaching curriculums. Poor pre-school teachers are unable to get a training from those institutions, he said.

"Therefore we have decided to train 1,500 on the first batch and to award them with a diploma. This is totally a free course. The lessons and teaching aid will be published in Tharunee paper. This is a one year course. Workshops will be held quarterly. The handouts will be supplied free of charge," Grero said.

Teachers who complete the course, successfully will be awarded with a diploma. The first ten pre-school teachers who score the best results will be given aid to start a new pre-school by the Lyceum Teachers Training Academy, he said.

Principal, Lyceum International School, Nugegoda Dr. Kumari Grero, Consultant Editor, Tharunee paper Susil Gunaratne, Tharunee Editor Indunil Weeraratne, Roland Abeypala, Course Director K. G. Kulasena, Harshani Rajapaksa and Lecturer A. S. Balasuriya were also present.