Link Language Program (1990-1994)
During the 152 years long British Colonial rule in Sri Lanka English was the official language in coastal areas since the year 1796 and in the entire island since the year 1815 .The opportunity to learn English was open only to the elite. They were not more than 5% of the population.
No explanation is necessary to tell how much the common people in the Sinhala Tamil and Muslim communities were handicapped when they wanted to communicate with the Government. Even after the partial independence gained in the year1947 and the full Republic Status gained in the year 1972, the prestige connected with the ability to use English effectively was not diminished.
Service Civil International Sri Lanka (SCI Sl) paid special attention to the language issue and drafted a new program to promote teaching of Sinhala language to Tamil students and Tamil language to Sinhala students. The school system in the Island was such that, a student born to a Sinhala family was sent to a Sinhala medium school, while a student born to a Tamil family was sent to a Tamil medium school.
The special status given to English educated in the society and the higher pay, easy promotional opportunities and respect in the public and private sector further placed and obstacle for Sri Lankan students to learn an additional local language.
Therefore the parents in the Sinhala and Tamil speaking communities paid special attention to teach English to their children. But there was no enthusiasm to teach Sinhala to Tamil children and Tamil to Sinhala children. Thus inter communal communication was possible only to those who were well conversant in English or both native languages. When national politics started to play the ugly game of using socio-cultural differences to attract the voters, the language issue further divided them and at the same time set them to fight with each other. The sorrowful North Eastern war in Sri Lanka has its roots deep in the Sinhala –Tamil language differences.
No explanation is necessary to tell how much the common people in the Sinhala Tamil and Muslim communities were handicapped when they wanted to communicate with the Government. Even after the partial independence gained in the year1947 and the full Republic Status gained in the year 1972, the prestige connected with the ability to use English effectively was not diminished.
Service Civil International Sri Lanka (SCI Sl) paid special attention to the language issue and drafted a new program to promote teaching of Sinhala language to Tamil students and Tamil language to Sinhala students. The school system in the Island was such that, a student born to a Sinhala family was sent to a Sinhala medium school, while a student born to a Tamil family was sent to a Tamil medium school.
The special status given to English educated in the society and the higher pay, easy promotional opportunities and respect in the public and private sector further placed and obstacle for Sri Lankan students to learn an additional local language.
Therefore the parents in the Sinhala and Tamil speaking communities paid special attention to teach English to their children. But there was no enthusiasm to teach Sinhala to Tamil children and Tamil to Sinhala children. Thus inter communal communication was possible only to those who were well conversant in English or both native languages. When national politics started to play the ugly game of using socio-cultural differences to attract the voters, the language issue further divided them and at the same time set them to fight with each other. The sorrowful North Eastern war in Sri Lanka has its roots deep in the Sinhala –Tamil language differences.
Introduction of Sinhala /Tamil Scripts to Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.
The Education Department had taken steps to include some questions to the language paper of the year 5 Scholarship Examination from the year 1991, to test the knowledge of the script of the relevant link languages. Gradually the students of both medium were encouraged to learn a link language in addition to English .The test papers of the year 5 Scholarship Examination and other public examinations would be prepared to test their knowledge on the relevant link language.
This was a very important step taken by the Government to open up dialogue between Sinhala speaking and Tamil speaking communities, in the future.
This was a very important step taken by the Government to open up dialogue between Sinhala speaking and Tamil speaking communities, in the future.
Galewela SCI Group took the initiative
Galewela SCI group in collaboration with United Schools Organization Sri Lanka [USO-SL] took a pioneering step and broke the ground in the language issue Mr.J.Gunadasa Jayawickrema ,AEC Member and the secretary SCI Galewela Group met Galewela Deputy Education Director Mr. P. G. Tikiri Banda and had a preliminary discussion about conducting two tier contests for the year 5 students. Mr.Jayawickrema disclosed to the director that SCI –SL was ready to facilitate this program.Accordingly Deputy Education Director Mr. P. G. Tikiri Banda sent and official circular dated 1993.04.19 to the heads of schools within his area and urged them to send suitable students to the link language contests. School level contests were to be held and the best ten students clever in the relevant link language were to be chosen to face the zonal level contest.
June 30, 1993
Year 5 students of the schools within Galewela division took part in the written contest held at Galewela Sri Sugatha Primary school. Mr. M. P. Jabardeen asst. Director Link Language Matale Education zone participated as the Education Department Observer. Mr. J. Gunadasa Jayawickrema co-ordinated the program.
Galewela SCI Group entrusted the organization of the program to a special committee.
Mr. Sujeewa Wijerathne English Asst. teacher of Mt/Siyambalagahawela Junior School a senior SCI member led the panel of judges who selected the best contestants those who participated in the written and oral language contests as well as cultural items presented by them.
Galewela SCI Group entrusted the organization of the program to a special committee.
Mr. Sujeewa Wijerathne English Asst. teacher of Mt/Siyambalagahawela Junior School a senior SCI member led the panel of judges who selected the best contestants those who participated in the written and oral language contests as well as cultural items presented by them.
July 12, 1993
Sinhala knowledge of the Tamil medium students was tested at Galewela Alfurkhan Muslim M. V conducted on July 12th 1993. Four Tamil medium schools in the area sent contestants to this program.
Education Director Mr. Jabardeen expressed his deep satisfaction for the initiative taken by SCI to promote the Link Language Program in the District of Matale. Having seen the success of the pilot project implemented in June and July 1993, he invited Mr. J. Gunadasa Jayawickrema to Matale office for a discussion as to how to expand the program. They met on December 17th, 1993 and agreed upon to carry forward the program in other zonal divisions of the district.
Education Director Mr. Jabardeen expressed his deep satisfaction for the initiative taken by SCI to promote the Link Language Program in the District of Matale. Having seen the success of the pilot project implemented in June and July 1993, he invited Mr. J. Gunadasa Jayawickrema to Matale office for a discussion as to how to expand the program. They met on December 17th, 1993 and agreed upon to carry forward the program in other zonal divisions of the district.
Extension of the Program
Mr. M. P. Jabbardeen Asst. Education Director had taken steps to send a circular signed by the Education Director Matale zone Mrs. R.A.K. Ranasinghe to all the school principals in the District. Out of the 316 schools there were 263 Sinhala medium schools and 63 Tamil medium schools.Link Language program was targeted to 9750 year 5 students .Out of them 7890 were in Sinhala medium and 1590 were in Tamil medium. When the students in other classes also were calculated, the number of students learning Tamil as a link language within Matale district was about 70,000.
The contests held in 10 centers were scattered within Matale, Rattota, Laggala and Dambulla electorates in the District of Matale. The following people, the majority of them were public servants, sacrificed their week -ends to make the program a success. Miss. Wasantharani Rajarathnam, SCI member and past student of Gampola St. Josoph Girls School volunteered from March 5th to 10th 1995 and again from September 11th to 29th to improve the Tamil knowledge of the Sinhala medium students.She also helped in the organizational works.
The contests held in 10 centers were scattered within Matale, Rattota, Laggala and Dambulla electorates in the District of Matale. The following people, the majority of them were public servants, sacrificed their week -ends to make the program a success. Miss. Wasantharani Rajarathnam, SCI member and past student of Gampola St. Josoph Girls School volunteered from March 5th to 10th 1995 and again from September 11th to 29th to improve the Tamil knowledge of the Sinhala medium students.She also helped in the organizational works.
District Level Contest
Matale Vijaya College was the venue of the district level oral and written contests held on October 20, 1995. Sinhala medium and Tamil medium students were tested in two halls and later they appeared in the main hall to perform the cultural events .Education Director Matale zone Mrs.R.A.K.Ranasinghe ,Asst. Director Mr.M.P.Jabbardeen ,Messrs N.M.M.Rajudeen and P.B.Herath National Secretary and National President of SCI –SL respectively were present as special invitees.
Giving away of prizes and certificates was conducted in the afternoon .Speeches at the meeting followed Asst. Director Mr. Jabardeen thanking Service Civil International for fulfilling a felt need in the country .He urged the SCI and other service organizations to extend their support to take the Link Language program to all the districts in the island.
Giving away of prizes and certificates was conducted in the afternoon .Speeches at the meeting followed Asst. Director Mr. Jabardeen thanking Service Civil International for fulfilling a felt need in the country .He urged the SCI and other service organizations to extend their support to take the Link Language program to all the districts in the island.
