The inspiring flame of Olympics for students

By Asoka N. Pathirane

Over three decades ago emerged a different education culture in Sri Lanka for mostly expatriates living in the country, notably in the Capital City, the birth of international schools came into limelight for those in the civil society and children of diplomatic missions and other foreign corporate employees and NGOs to enrol their children for international education in Sri Lanka.

This was indeed the birth of Colombo International School. How far the institution has come of age is a remarkable achievement just the way the Olympic Torch lit up many centuries ago.

Sri Lanka’s education was based on a National Policy when the great educationist C.W.W. Kannangara initiated the move for free education. International Schools came into being with the emerging trends in education where the need was felt to go beyond the national curriculum to take advantage of the scope and coverage provided by the education opportunities available in the British, American and other international education systems.

Accordingly, the Colombo International School had their vision focused on combining high quality international education with sports initiatives that would provide its students with a well rounded and fulfilling experience throughout School.

With the London Olympics 2012 glittering all over Great Britain with the preparations almost complete, the showpiece of all sports will take off on schedule in fine style. That is something for us to ponder and witness the wonder on our televisions screens. The crowned princes and princesses, high and mighty, will give all their blessings to the thousands of competitors from all over the globe.

Sportsmen of the calibre of Michael Phelps, the late Marion Jones, Usain Bolt, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, Mark Spitz and the Ethiopian and East European stars have given so much of inspiration to these budding stars of the London Olympics 2012.

Many spectators will arrive in London to watch these young stars in action together with the opening and closing ceremonies classified as the greatest sports show on earth. Britain will achieve sustainable revenue to boost their economy.

CIS has over the years gained a fine reputation for the education and sporting excellence of their students. Many who have passed through the school have excelled in education through leading universities in the world whilst maintaining equal success and dynamism in the sports arena.

CIS has had great moments in Olympics history with some of its students and those associated with sports at CIS having the opportunity to become recognised participants at Olympics. In Sydney 2000, Theekshana Ratnasekera, a former CIS pupil, swam for Sri Lanka and in the hope of helping more CIS swimmers to achieve their ambitions the school has employed Dual Olympian Conrad Francis as its head swim coach. He swam at both Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.

This year (2012), Haresh Selvaskandan, a former CIS pupil, received the fantastic honour of carrying the Olympic Torch. Haresh was selected from a pool of 60,000 people who had been nominated for the honour. Apart from his sporting achievements, Haresh has excelled in his medical degree at the University of Leicester and gained this recognition as a result of the work he has done in Kenya as Vice-Chancellor of the charity, Medsin.

Lots of parents are guilty of curtailing their children’s sports events as they think it will get in the way of their studies but Lord Coe is just one example of how it is possible to combine academic studies and sporting prowess.

At Colombo International School, there is a great emphasis on combining first class education with first class sports development initiatives for students, the flow through of which is seen in the large numbers of CIS students excelling in studies and sports contributing internationally towards social and economic development in leading positions in public life.