Korean language education to be encouraged in Sri Lanka
Friday, 22 August 2014 00:01
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On Saturday, 16 August, at 10 a.m., a ceremonial completion of the Higher Diploma in the Korean Language was held at the Main Auditorium of the National Institute of Education, Maharagama. The honorary guests present were Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardana, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Chang Won-sam and National Institute of Education (NIE) Director General Prof. Abeyrathna Bandara.
The Korean language was chosen the official second foreign language subject in 2011, and since August 2012, the Sri Lankan Government has been training teachers in the Korean language with the support of the Korean Government. As a result, the first batch of 24 Korean language instructors has successfully completed and was awarded the Higher Diploma in Korean Language at this occasion. They will be teaching in national high schools in Sri Lanka starting from next year.
Minister Gunawardana expressed his deep gratitude to the Korean Government’s support for the education sector in Sri Lanka, and mentioned the importance of continuous support in raising Korean language teachers.
Ambassador Chang Won-sam in his congratulatory speech commended the teachers on their successful completion of the Higher Diploma. He also mentioned that as the Sri Lankan youth study the Korean language, they may understand Korea better and also share the development experience of Korea so that they would become the bridge between Sri Lanka and Korea in the near future.
Following the ceremony, a new Korean language textbook was handed over by the Korean Ambassador to the Sri Lankan Government. The textbook has been developed by Korean language lecturers at the University of Kelaniya under the auspices of the Korean Embassy and the NIE. The textbook will be utilised from next year in Korean classes in national schools in Sri Lanka.
