Pakistan-sponsored three-storey state-of-the-art school inaugurated

The High Commissioner of Pakistan Seema Ilahi Baloch along with Honourable Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapksa inaugurated ‘Babussalam Maha Vidyalaya – a Pakistan sponsored three storied school building in Pasyala Gampaha early this week.

The Government of Pakistan has sponsored the construction of this three storied state-of-the-art school building to support education sector development drive of the Sri Lankan Government.

The foundation stone of the project was laid on 9 February 2011 by Minister Rajapaksa and High Commissioner Baloch.

The newly constructed school will be catering to the local population of Pasyala area. Presently, the school has an enrolment of over 500 students (both male and female), with 19 teachers as the instructional staff for the institution.

The school building would add 7200 sq. ft. of floor area which will include all modern facilities including a library, a fully equipped home science laboratory, computer laboratory and class rooms.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Chief Minister Western Province Prasanna Ranatunga, MP Wasantha Senanayake and several prominent personalities from the area along with Pakistan High Commission officials and big number of parents and students. This project would add to various projects carried out by the government of Pakistan in health, education and livelihood sectors in Sri Lanka. These projects includes construction of the district hospital, Akurana; equipping science laboratories in schools, 30 computer centres and six stitching centres, providing ambulances to hospitals ,awards of Jinnah Scholarships to students for continuation of education, and the awards of long-term scholarships for study of medicine, engineering, dentistry and pharmacy in Pakistan.

Rajapaksa thanked the government and people of Pakistan for extending their support for the construction of school. He said Pakistan has proved to be a true friend of Sri Lanka throughout our history. The High Commissioner Baloch also announced donation of computers for the newly built school.

The civilisation links between two peoples and culture date back 2500 years, to the time when the Indus and Gandhara civilisations and Buddhist culture has prospered in what is now Pakistan. Both countries have made impressive efforts to preserve and build on these solid foundations. Since 1948, the two countries have consistently maintained close, cordial and mutually supportive relationship.

The newly constructed school in Pasyala will help to create professionals amongst the young citizens for the future benefit of Sri Lanka and it will further cement the good relationship between the two brotherly countries.