English as a life skill

Today marks the successful completion of the first phase of the Presidential initiative - English as a Life Skill. President Mahinda Rajapaksa will launch its second phase this morning.

The whole approach in this initiative was innovative. Having seen the failure of teaching English the British Way or trying to better the native English speakers in diction and composition the new initiative has given priority to Spoken English for communication over written English. This would seem preliminary considering the fact that all children begin speaking a language before learning how to write. It is universally accepted that the development of the cognitive process through learning the spoken language helps in mastering the writing abilities.

It was this fact that was ignored for decades till the Presidential English initiative began. In addition, English was used as a status symbol rather than as a useful tool in one’s life and knowledge gathering. Therefore, the Presidential initiative correctly wanted to eliminate the oppressive nature of English by making it known throughout the country including the rural hinterland.

By speaking English our way the cultural divide that hampered its absorption by the students, especially at rural level would vanish.

During a short time span of 13 months the project has earned several credit-worthy achievements. Training 60 percent or 13,500 English teachers, creating a national cadre of 80 Master Trainers in Spoken English through collaboration with the English and Foreign Languages University in Hyderabad, India, a centre of excellence in its own right, opening the Sri Lanka - India English Language Training Centre with Indian assistance, preparing a Teacher Guide on Sri Lankan English Standards are some of them.

The success of the initiative was largely due to the dedication and commitment of the Presidential Task Force and especially its six-member Special Initiatives Unit. They have proved wrong the prophets of doom who refuse to accept that the public sector too is capable of being dynamic and efficient.

The second phase that starts today is more ambitious. It aims to reach out to the public. President Rajapaksa was scheduled to launch a 100 hour curriculum for a Certificate Course in Basic English for the public today. The Examinations Department will be conducting a public examination for a Certificate in Basic English. The authorities have also in the drawing boards a plan to train the entire cadre of teachers in the State schools in Basic English within six months.

The success of this program would go a long way towards creating a bilingual society, a predecessor to the trilingual society that Sri Lanka should strive for in the 21st Century.

Nelson Mandela

Today is Nelson Mandela Day. It is the first time the United Nations has declared such a day in honour of a living person. The Day coincides with Mandela’s 92nd birthday. No doubt he deserves the rare honour.

Mandela not only fought for the liberation of his people from the yoke of white rule that perpetuated the obnoxious system of Apartheid under which the natives were turned into slaves at the hands of white intruders.

He spent a record 27 years in prison under most severe conditions, in Robben Island. As a true patriot and son of the soil he refused to barter the nation’s freedom for his own. When offered to set him free he told his captors “How could I be free when my people are not free?”

Mandela, however, will be remembered more for his faith in man and his success in transforming a country full of racial prejudice and hate into a peaceful multi-ethnic nation that South Africa has evolved into today.

He has become a model revolutionary, a model peace-maker and a model statesman and a model world leader that few could equal. In his own country he has become a true sage of the people of all races and ethnicities.

Nelson Mandela’s legacy would inspire all fighters for human dignity, peace and liberation throughout the ages. He is truly a Hero of all time and all generations.