50th Anniversary of IPTK inauguration

On April 21 the University of Moratuwa hosted the 50th Anniversary of the inauguration of the Institute of Practical Technology, Katubedde (IPTK). The event was organised by the Junior Technical officers (JTO) Alumni.  IPTK was established initially to conduct the JTO course which was transferred from the Ceylon Technical College Maradana to the new premises at Katubedde in 1961.

The main event of the day was to make a presentation to the High Commissioner for Canada in 1960s James George who facilitated the establishment of the IPTK under a generous grant from the Canadian Government. Current High Commissioner for Canada Bruce Levy was the Chief Guest. 

The welcome speech was delivered by Captain K. S. K. Perera, the president of the alumni. At the end of the speech a plaque, with a commemorative inscription honouring George was presented to Levy to be handed over to George.  George could not travel from Canada to attend the event because of his advanced age. However, a recorded phone conversation George had with Leslie Dep, a founder member of the Alumni resident in the UK, was played to the gathering. The event was attended by around two hundred members of the alumni who were all in their sixties or older.

The keynote address was delivered by Vidya Jothi Prof. Dayantha Wijesekera, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa and currently the Chancellor of the University of Vocational Training. Professor Wijesekera, a former JTO and a member of the Alumni traced the history of technical education in Sri Lanka from the earliest times dating back to second Century BC to the present and also the future direction.

The Canadian High Commissioner, Levy, spoke of the collaboration between Canada and Sri Lanka on educational development programs for the enhancement of technical education. The gathering was also addressed by the present Vice Chancellor of the Moratuwa University, Prof. Ananda Jayawardhana. IPTK Director Dr. T.A.G Gunasekera outlined the proposed development program for technical education at the new site at Homagama. The vote of thanks was delivered by the General Secretary of the Alumni M.A.P Hemachandra.