‘My ambition is to be an engineer’ says No 1 at Grade 5 scholarship exam Sithija

Text and pix by P.D. De Silva

“I want to be an engineer in the future,” said an elated Sithija Niran Samarawickrema of Methodist Junior College Urugamuwa in Dikwella, Matara who was ranked island first at the Grade Five Scholarship examination this year. Sithija obtained 196 out of a possible 200 marks.

Methodist Junior College Urugamuwa has 416 students on roll and is the feeder school of Sri Sumangala Central College Radampola. Of the 84 students who sat the grade five scholarship examination this year nine students have obtained more marks than the cutoff mark.

10 year old Sithija is the second of a family of three boys. His elder brother 13 year old Yohan who also passed the grade five scholarship examination gained entrance to Mahinda Rajapaksa College Matara while five year old Thushara is a student of Methodist Junior School. Sithija’s father Priyantha Samarawickrema is a store keeper at the Weeraketiya Multipurpose Corporative Society while mother P.N. Harshika is a housewife. They are residents of Akalanmulla Urugamuwa.

“Sithija performed exceptionally well from grade one onwards and is presently the head prefect of the school. We knew that he would pass the scholarship exam well and we are elated that he has obtained the highest marks in the island,” said Principal H.R. Damayanthi.

Saman Pathinayaka Sithija’s class teacher said ‘Sithija managed his time well. He was dedicated to his books as much as to extracurricular activities and the added responsibilities and duties as head prefect. I am very happy that he has excelled at the exam and wish him a bright future.” 

There were many who gathered at Methodist Junior College Urugamuwa to congratulate Sithija and his mentors last morning. Among the first was Provincial Minister of Education Chandima Rasaputhra who gifted Sithija with a desktop computer and presented all those who exceeded the cut off mark with English-Sinhala Dictionaries. He also promised to arrange to send Sithija and his parents on an all expenses paid tour to Disneyland in USA.