Dutch assistance for tsunami hit primary schools in Galle

Sarath MALALASEKERA

GALLE: The Edith Stein, Teacher Training High School in Hengelow in the Netherlands in collaboration with the Netherlands Alumni Association of Lanka (NAAL) commenced an assistance programme to three Tsunami affected primary schools in Galle District.

This programme commenced in 2005 by providing educational equipment and training facilities valued at Rs.7 million in the first two years and then from 2007 Rs 1.5 million every year for the further 8 years.

The objective is to improve the quality of primary education of the Primary schools in Galle District which was hit by the tsunami.

The primary schools at Gintota Maha Vidyalaya, Uswathun, Hassina Maha Vidyalaya, Sudarma Maha Vidyalaya will receive assistance and the project is carried out through the Unawatuna Amarasuriya Teacher’s Training College as the hub of the project.

The Unawatuna TTC was also provided with additional IT and audio visual equipment for specific training programmes.

During the first week of April 2007 teachers from the above schools underwent a training in the Netherlands at Edith Stein High School.

A group of teacher trainees accompanied by the director Mr. Frans Pinkse from Edith Stein High School arrived in Sri Lanka to work with local teachers attached to the primary schools to introduce new teaching methods in Mathamatics to those schools.