Youth geared for top strength

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

Sri Lankans have suffered a lot from terrorism. The security forces eliminated terrorism launching a humanitarian operation under the progressive leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and enormous guidance of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has taken all measures to build a strong next generation with proper skills, knowledge and good values.

He recognized the National Cadet Corps (NCC) as the greatest team to initiate this special programme which creates a powerful next generation. Accordingly Defence Secretary plans to widen Sri Lanka’s NCC network. It has widened in Northern and Eastern provinces.

History

John B Cull, a former Principal of Royal College formed a Volunteer Corps with the intention of promoting discipline by doing drill in the year 1881 and his effort became fruitful when expansion occurred with the introduction of a Cadet Battalion in 1902 recruited from schools and attached to the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI ). At the time the Acting Commandant of the Volunteer Force was Major HG Morns, of the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry.

SM Burrows was the Director of Public Instruction, as the post of Director of Education was known then. Companies were formed at Royal, St. Thomas, Wesley, Kingswood, Trinity and Richmond Colleges. These were commanded by honorary officers from among teachers and senior students. Cadet Battalion of CLI was reorganized with effect from September 1, 1910.

* School Cadets between 12 and 16 formed companies commanded by teachers.

* Cadets on reaching 16 years were eligible for transfer to Cadet

Companies called Cadet Companies CLI. They were commanded by officers seconded from CLI.

Further expansion took place in1918. Brigadier General RB Fell, Commandant CVF recommended the disbanding of the Cadet Companies and the formation of the Cadet Battalion with two divisions, seniors and juniors. Diyatalawa was set up in1904 after Boer War. Cadets attended camp together with Ceylon Planters’ Rife Corps (CPRC), CLI, British, and Indian Regiments. In 1948 the Commanding Officer of the Ceylon Cadet Battalion (CCB) was appointed the Ceylonese Commandant of the Ceylon Defence Force. CCB became the Ceylon Cadet Corps (CCC) in 1950.

Activities and training at a cadet camp

A drill display by the cadets

Advanced course 5 and 7

In the same year second Battalion was formed with Headquarters in Kandy and 1st Battalion Headquarters shifted to Kalutara. Thus with its progress in 1953 the third Battalion was formed.

Status quo

Since that it had become a long tour of 131 years passing number of milestone in the golden history of Sri Lanka NCC while guiding youth to be leaders in the country with the aim of making them well disciplined, motivated youth from school going generation for the service of the nation. Training and inspiring cadets using and effective training curriculum so that each cadet shall develop character, courage, sportsmanship, self-reliance, discipline, civic mindedness, spirit of adventure, responsibility and comradeship to be a human resource of well trained youth capable of providing leadership in all aspects of life is the mission of the NCC.

“Currently the NCC is training over 60,000 cadets which include Army Wing, Naval Wing, Air Force Wing, Police Wing and Western and Eastern Band Cadets formed by both boys and girls. The numbers of cadets are to be increased up to 100,000 by the year 2016 and the NCC is to train around 10,000 cadets per year from 2013 to 2016 to achieve the above target,” said Sri Lanka NCC Director Major General Gamini Jayasundara.

“The NCC, the premier youth development organization which operates under the purview of Defence Ministry and the guidance of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has successfully being contributing with a proud history of 131 years from its inception in 1881 to mould the resource of well trained and motivated youth with leadership qualities to serve the nation,” he explained.

“While grooming and determining the younger generation, in the past we have been supporting officers and other ranks of the Armed Forces and the Police by organizing intensive English, Tamil and Sinhala language, computer and counseling courses catering to their need. In addition to that we have already engaged in training university grants in leadership qualities and positive thinking. We have trained around 3,000 university grants at the first leadership training,” he added.

The NCC is playing a vital role in preparing youth to be responsible. As well as it is a very good extra-curricular activity and it will also help to build a good personality. At present a large number of cadets are gathering at the NCC Training Centre at Rantambe annually for their Assessment Camps. The NCC plans courses well ahead to meet the administrative, training and logistic requirements of trainees.

Camps

They have held around 50 camps in this year and the number of participants in these camps has also increased. The number of cadets at camps has increased from 8452 in 2005 to 41,985 in 2012. The number of girls attached to the NCC has increased up to 19,850 in this year. Under the instructions of the Defence Ministry under which the NCC function, seven new battalions and seven provincial headquarters have been set up since 2005. Band Cadets adds a new dimension to the youth. Band Cadets have to follow the entire syllabus.

The Assessment Camps of the Naval, Air and Police wings are new additions to the Corps. Naval and Air Force wings completed their assessments at their training academies. At present there are 7000 Naval Cadets and 4350 Air cadets trained under the NCC.

Sashini Hansika	V S Palihawadana	A Ajanthan

They need to go through drill, physical efficiency test, map reading, field craft, point 22 firing, leadership training, first aid, learning the law of the country, lessons on dangerous drugs, human rights, current affairs in addition to learning regimental duties and NCC knowledge.

Courses

Intensive English language courses of 45 days are conducted twice a year - one for the cadets who finish GCE Ordinary Level and another for those who complete GCE Advanced Level.

As a part of NCC’s mission to develop resourceful, responsible, resilient, loyal leaders and team players, the National Cadet Corps offer a wide range of adventure and experimental programmes such as the Cadets Advance Course.

The Advance Course is designed for Senior Cadets to develop leadership. Another specific wing of the NCC would be the Cadet Junior Leadership Course, which is a seven-day leadership and positive attitude programme.

This is designed to suit the adventurous nature of a youth. The programme caters to the demand of the Corporals and Lance Corporals of the platoon.

With a view to increase international understanding and heighten awareness the NCC held Youth Exchange Programmes with the NCCs of two SAARC countries in 2005.

Views of participants

With the guidance of Defence Secretary the exchange programmes were initiated in Bangladesh, India the Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan. Some cadets who have selected to take part in these programmes expressed their ideas to the “Daily News”. Navy Girl Cadet Sergeant Sashini Hansika Godage from Bandarawela Central College said that “I am very proud to be a cadet girl and I think being a cadet will be very useful to lead a well-planned life. This helps me to develop my skills and the personality as well.”

A Battalion under Officer V S Palihawadana from Matara Sujatha Vidyalaya said that Cadet training is very helpful to develop the containment in the students and it also trains the students to lead a well behaved life. “I think that a cadet is always different from the others. Because they are always active than others and very forward,” she said.

A Company Senior Under Officer A Ajanthan from Hartely College, Jaffna said that they have received a great opportunity to become cadets with the end of terrorism. He paid his gratitude to the President, Defence Secretary and to all officers attached to the NCC for making the country free from terrorism.

In addition the NCC initiated new programmes to upgrade the level of the Sri Lankan Cadets since 2005 with the fullest support and guidance of the Ministry of Defense. ‘Kumara Pawura’ - the School Security programme was launched in collaboration with the Presidential Secretariat and the Education Ministry.

“The NCC is going on under the theme of “Never Be Unprepared” to make a strong next generation to Mother Lanka and I would like to extend the gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and everybody who provided their contribution to make the NCC the leading youth development organization in the country on behalf of the NCC,” said Major General Jayasundara concluding his conversation.