NDB helps develop English language skills of north western province teachers

As a responsible corporate citizen, NDB has dedicated itself towards making meaningful benefactions to the society through its Strategic Corporate Responsibility initiatives that uplift and empower the future generation of Sri Lanka.

In an effort to mobilise this strategic view on sustainability, NDB joined hands with the British Council of Colombo on a special project to enhance the teaching skills of Secondary English Language Teachers of Government Schools; thereby increasing the standard of English teaching in Sri Lanka.

The program which commenced last year was conducted in several parts of the North Western Province in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Provincial Education Department. English teachers from several government schools in the region, nominated by the provincial department were enrolled in the 50 hour Master Training Course.

The course concluded with an award ceremony where 120 English Teachers passed out with Certificates in Secondary English Language Teaching (CiSELT), a qualification validated by the British Council global organisation. This ceremony was held recently at the Provincial Education Department of Kurunegala with the patronage of officials from ministry of education, department of education in the North Western Province as well as the British Council.

Commenting on this initiative NDB CEO Russell De Mel said, “English is the universal tongue of the current global marketplace. Proficiency of this universal language is critical for the success of businesses and the economic progress of the nation. Therefore today, English language has become an essential component in a child’s curriculum and the foundation is set at an early age at school. Teachers who nurture our children play a pivotal role in setting high standards of language proficiency in our future generation. With initiatives such as this program we strive to empower the teachers in the country to provide a higher quality education and thereby raise the bar for education in Sri Lanka. We will continue to seek such opportunities to uplift the standard of education and make a positive contribution towards this national endeavour.”

Reflecting on the Teacher Training program sponsored by NDB, British Council Country Director Tony Reilly observed, “There are now estimated to be, in the region of 1.5 million English speakers globally. English has become the passport to wealth and opportunity, an essential requirement for almost every profession. NDB recognises the importance of English for Sri Lanka’s next generation, growing up at last in an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity. We are delighted to be partnering NDB in this ambitious English Teacher Training initiative. The British Council’s global work in English aims to facilitate more widespread and better quality teaching of English worldwide. That’s what this partnership with NDB in Sri Lanka is all about.”

Sharing her sentiments on the program, English teacher Mrs. Chamarasinghe of Mundel Maha Vidyalaya in Puttlam and one of the trainers at the sessions stated, “The teacher training program sponsored by NDB was a truly novel experience and a very valuable one for teachers in rural areas who have little exposure to new methods and trends of teaching. The trainings were very well structured and constantly monitored by the British Council. There was plenty of material provided to help us to make the program more engaging and this material was rich in content as well as design. The convocation held at the end of the program was much valued by the participants as this validated the certification and provided recognition for their achievement.”

Commenting on the program structure, S. Sivakumar of the Teacher Centre in Puttalam said, “The learner-centred, activity-based nature of the training program added to the enthusiasm of the participants. It is noteworthy to mention that majority of the sessions had a 100% attendance rate. The course was very well designed to develop integrated skills with focus on areas such as listening, speaking, writing and reading. The trainers were well equipped with adequate knowledge and different techniques to deliver the trainings in an effective manner.”

NDB’s wider approach to sustainability is categorised under three pillars of strategic, philanthropic and operational initiatives; out of which the Strategic initiatives revolve around entrepreneurship and education. NDB continues its efforts to empower the youth of the nation through multiple projects that place emphasis on issues that are critical for sustainable economic growth and the future success of the nation as a whole.