Dhamma teachers need proper training - PM

Chamikara Weerasinghe

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake plans to train Dhamma school teachers on a continuous basis to create disciplined teachers. The Prime Minister yesterday called for the assistance of the Mahasangha to prepare a detailed programme based on residential training for Dhamma School teachers.

Prime Minister Wickramanayake said that arrangements could be made to provide such a programme with necessary funds. The Prime Minister was addressing a group of bhikkhus at a ceremony, held at his office yesterday, where the bhikkhus presented 10 volumes of Pali Attha Katha translated into Sinhala by Ven.Kirama Vimalajothi thera, to the Prime Minister.

Ven. Vimalajothi thera marked the ceremony by presenting the translated volumes to the Prime Minister, stating that it was the first time that a set of Pali Attha Katha volumes had been translated into Sinhala.

The thera emphasized on the importance of translating them into English for the benefit of many.

Prime Minister Wickramanayake thanked the thera and said that necessary initiatives should be taken to devise a comprehensive programme for training Dhamma school teachers as this would produce a generation of disciplined teachers who are learned in dhamma.

The PM also directed his officials to provide whatever support required for the implementation of such a programme. Religious Affairs Minister Pandu Bandaranayaka, Secretary to the Prime Minister Mahinda Bandusena and Public Trustee Janaka Bandara were present.

Ven. Kirama Jothi thera said once the war against terrorism was over , there will be the war to protect the dhamma. The thera said training programmes for Dhamma School teachers, could be carried out at Horana as the centre has the necessary infrastructure.

Most Ven. Dr. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma thera said Prime Minister Wickramanayake should get the credit as it was with his support that the members of Mahasangha were able to print the Pali and Sinhala versions of the Thripitaka and the translated versions of Pali Attha Katha in Sinhala.