Discipline comes first for Overseas School of Colombo
Hiran H.Senewiratne
Sri Lankans have a huge advantage of learning English without
forgetting their mother language, the Head of Overseas School of
Colombo, Laurie McLellan said.
Speaking
to the Expat ChitChat he said he believes education is a form of
liberation that helps to give life purpose. Although education probably
raises more questions than offering answers, the stimulus to think is
fundamental and important for humankind.
For a young person’s education to be valuable and stimulating, one
should experience the correct atmosphere to excel in school. He said Sri
Lankan students should learn English as a language without neglecting
their mother tongue.
International education offers the ideal situation for young people
to grow, learn and enjoy together in an open and stimulating
environment, he said.
How many students study in the school, what is the syllabus you
follow for these students?
A:We have around 450 students in the school. 85 per cent of them are
expatriates covering 47 different cultures. We have different segments
of students, 40 per cent from children of expatriates’ families, 30 per
cent from the diplomatic missions and 30 per cent from the NGO sector.
We don’t work with the national system and we follow the
international Baccalaureate, which is an internationally recognised
system. Access is assured to any international university in the world
after completing education here. Unfortunately, Sri Lankan universities
don’t recognise it.
Head of OSC Laurie McLellan Pictures by Saliya Rupasinghe |
As an international/overseas school with diverse cultures from
different countries what is your main focus?
A: I think we have a broader focus to develop a full personality and
to create critical thinkers for society. We want to build a strong
global network to help our students make good allround persons with
global networking abilities.
In our classrooms we have a small number of students and each one is
equipped with a computer. Our students are connected with the local
community.
The broad-based curriculum should allow for students to study not
just language, mathematics, sciences and social sciences but also
foreign languages, aesthetic subjects and physical education from within
the extra curricular or enrichment programmes.
Apart from the classroom work what
are the extra curricular and co-curricular activities in this campus?
A: We have a lot of extra curricular and co-curricular activities in
the school.
Where the extra curricular activities are concerned we have a good
school auditorium, a teaching theatre, music, acting and modern plays.
Further we have community service projects such as the Children’s Cancer
Hospital project.
Students are also involved in a lot of community service in the Sun
Flower Village where they help physically handicapped students and we
also allow them to use our swimming pool.
These are a few projects undertaken by our students and funds are
generated through the parent society, road shows and car wash
activities. We have a dog-sterilising project. We also sponsor the
Wetland Conservation Project near the Talangama tank. We also have a
swimming pool.
A fully-fledged gymnasium is under construction and we have
basketball and many sports activities as well. I would say that
discipline is integrated in our system and if anybody breaks it they
have to face consequences.
What are the other activities your
children are involved in?
A: Students are involved in many activities like photography
and computer skill development activities.
Our older students run model United Nation Organisations and students
are represented as delegates and they pass resolutions and forward them
to the United Nations head quarters. Our students discuss global issues,
children’s issues and global warming. More than 600 students participate
in this.
What are the foreign languages taught
at OSC?
A: Our medium of instruction is English and other languages we
teach are French and Spanish. In our primary school every student gets
an opportunity to learn about the Sri Lankan culture.
We celebrate all Sri Lankan festivals. My belief is that we all
respect the country and the culture than the language. Moreover, English
language skills are very important to go up in the corporate ladder in
the business world.
What are the future expansion plans
for the school?
A: At present our new gymnasium is under construction and we
are now committed not to construct any building in the premises. We want
our students to live with greenery and nature without being inside
bricks and concrete jungles.
We want to remain small to be better focused on all the children.
You are in Sri Lanka for nearly five
years. What do you think about the Sri Lankan culture and its
bio-diversity?
A: Sri Lanka has a very rich culture mainly in the area of
music, dancing and art and is unique in nature. As a country I would
like to travel to so may places in this beautiful country like the
Cultural Triangle.
This is incredible to promote as a major tourist attraction if peace
and harmony is restored. I also like to visit Galle Fort and play golf
in Kandy. The beauty of this country is that there are so many different
microclimates in a small country.
What do you think about Sri Lanka’s
education system?
A: I think Sri Lankan people/professionals are capable and a
very talented set of people.
But the only problem I see is that access to opportunities is
minimal. If they come back with an overseas qualification they would be
very much employable.
Therefore, Sri Lankan students should find ways to obtain overseas
qualifications.
My Boss
Executive
Secretary Marina Samarajeewa has been working in the Overseas School for
more than 20 years. All her bosses were expatriates. She said that
McLellan is a very nice person to work with. “Since he is an
understanding person we have a very good working relationship.”
“He has a lot of forward planning and is a well-organised person,
whom anyone could learn from,” she said. “Our Head of School is very
supportive, open minded, respectful and courteous to everybody. He also
likes our country and the culture,” she said. |