Widespread interest and participation for Sampath Bank ‘Pahe Sishyathwa’ seminars

Wednesday, 23 July 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The sixth annual ‘Pahe Sishyathwa’ seminar series, conducted by Sampath Bank, in collaboration with Neth FM, continues to garner increasing demand and participation, reaching over 6,000 year five scholarship exam students within two months. Commencing in May, the seminars for 2014 have been held in Kamburupitiya, Balangoda, Tissamaharama, Buttala, Dehiaththakandiya and Hanguranketha thus far, especially providing this special learning opportunity for students in rural areas of the country with limited access to supportive resources and facilities.

The final three seminars are held in Kahatagasdigiliya on 19 July, Mullaitivu on 26 July and Kuliyapitiya on 2 August. Commenting on this distinct initiative, Tharaka Ranwala, Deputy General Manager – Marketing and Business Development, Sampath Bank, said: “The primary objective of this seminar series is to guide both the children and their parents to meet the fundamental challenge of facing a standardised, national exam in a holistic and healthy manner, enabling them to produce the best opportunities for their future. The overwhelming interest from students and parents around the island is a testament to the value of the ‘Pahe Sishyathwa’ seminar series and I would like to thank the Sampath Bank team, as well as our partners Neth FM, for their tireless efforts in organising these workshops.” Conducted in Sinhala or Tamil, each interactive session comprises of qualified teachers discussing two model exam papers with the students, explaining how to best decipher various questions and how to develop effective answers, as well as tips on time management and ‘short cut’ methods to answering questions. These model exam papers are prepared by the selected ‘Pahe Shishyathwa’ seminar tutor panel months in advance to conducting the seminars.

Running simultaneous with the children’s seminar at each location is a workshop specially designed for their parents, which advices them on how to be encouraging and supportive to their child leading up to the exam, as well as subsequent to receiving the results. Sampath Bank further supports the attending parents with a session on managing household finances, providing them with the knowledge to efficiently manage their children’s savings funds and family finances. The ‘Pahe Shishyathwa’ seminar series has continued to gain momentum since its inception, with escalating interest and demand, resulting in an increase in the number of sessions conducted over the years. Furthermore, 2013 marked a significant milestone in the history of the initiative when the first seminar to be conducted solely in Tamil was held in Vavuniya, with the overwhelming participation of more than 2,000 students. This year the Tamil medium seminar will be held in Mulliativu on 26 July.