Inauguration of Government of India funded Language Lab in Akuressa, Matara

July 11, 2015

High Commissioner of India, Mr. Y. K. Sinha and Hon'ble Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera jointly inaugurated a Language Lab in Akuressa on July 10, 2015 at a function held at Nilwala National College of Education. Consul General of India-Hambantota, Mr. Raj Kumar, Director, Tamil Schools Development of Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka, Mr. Muralidharan and other senior officials were also present during the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Hon'ble Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that English is the medium that opens a window of opportunities for Sri Lankan youth, both in Sri Lanka and abroad. He thanked Government of India for the project, which will act as a platform for skill development of youth of Sri Lanka. High Commissioner indicated that Government of India has been assisting Sri Lanka in various sectors through development assistance programmes. He expressed his happiness that Government of India has been a partner of Sri Lanka's tri-lingual initiative.

This Language Lab is one of the nine labs that the Government of India has set up in each of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka. Four language labs in Gampaha (Western Province), Kandy (Central Province), Bingiriya (North Western Province) and Adalaichenai (Eastern Province) have already been inaugurated. Other locations where Language Labs have been set up are Jaffna (Northern Province), Polonnaruwa (North Central Province),  Ratnapura (Sabaragamuwa Province), and Badulla (Uva Province).

The project has been implemented as part of an MoU signed between India and Sri Lanka in 2011 for “Setting up of a Three-Tier English Language Training System in Sri Lanka”. The total cost of the project is SLR 84 million, implemented under full grant assistance of the Government of India. As part of the project, Government of India has provided 31 computer units and other related equipment, software and latest sophisticated teaching aids to each Centre, and has also trained five master trainers for each Centre.

The objective of the project is to help enhance English Language training infrastructure in Sri Lanka; impart training to English language teachers from schools, colleges and universities in Sri Lanka; upgrade their skills; and raise the general level of proficiency in English language of various sections of society.