Draft 10 year National Plan for Trilingual Lanka:

Presidential Secretariat invites public comment

The Presidential Secretariat has invited the public to send their comments and suggestions to be considered for inclusion in the historic Draft 10 Year National Plan for a Trilingual Sri Lanka (2012 - 2021) which will be launched by the President later in the year. The public can access the Draft Plan on the official website www.info.gov.lk. The public are invited to send their response before October 12, 2011, states Sunimal Fernando, Presidential Advisor and Co-ordinator of the Presidential Initiative for a Trilingual Sri Lanka.

According to Fernando, the 10 Year National Plan for a Trilingual Sri Lanka is the first comprehensive document on Language Planning in Sri Lanka to originate from a post independence Head of State.

It sets the foundation for a national initiative to be driven by the President himself to encourage the acquisition of trilingual skills and competencies by all citizens of the country.

The proposed National Plan is based on the vision of the President for a Trilingual Sri Lanka announced more than 2 years back in February 2009: A vision confirmed by the results of the Socio-linguistic Survey of Sri Lanka conducted in August 2010 which demonstrated progressive, liberal views and aspirations on language learning and language use and a great yearning for national integration and harmony by people across the ethnic, linguistic and geographical divide, living in all parts of the country.

According to Presidential Advisor Sunimal Fernando, one of the main objectives of the proposed National Plan developed under the guidance of the President and the direction of Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga will be to enhance national harmony, integration and development by liberating Knowledge, Opportunity and Communication from the clutches of Language. Sinhala and Tamil will be aggressively developed as the languages of discourse, debate, discussion and assimilation on all aspects of modern knowledge, science and technology together with English as a Life Skill and an instrument of communication both within and outside the country.

“The President’s 10 Year Plan, if implemented in the country with passion, commitment and dedication, will enable the vast majority of our people to break through the present ethnic and linguistic barriers and participate both individually and collectively in national discourse and thereby help grow a vibrant, practising democracy in the country” says Fernando.