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| Wednesday, 20 October 2004 |
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by Manjula Fernando
The on going education reforms strive to create a 'rounded personality' in school leavers to make them successful in all aspects of life, Education Secretary Dr.Tara De Mel said. Speaking as the chief guest at the Young Entrepreneurs 2003 Awards Ceremony at the BMICH on Monday, Dr. de Mel said the reform program has lent priority to harnessing the qualities of leadership and skills development in young children while giving emphasis to IT and English Education. "It aspires to make students learn by themselves, think for themselves and initiate action without waiting to be spoon-fed," the Secretary said observing that the Young Entrepreneurs Sri Lanka (YESL) program promotes the same strategy in a different manner. Dr. de Mel said the YESL will inspire students to become job creators instead of job seekers noting that the rural expansion of the program was a commendable endeavour that would open opportunities for rural students to understand business and gain knowledge on how to be workforce ready. She observed that in a world where the ultimate goal of parents and students are to obtain straight A's at GCE Ordinary Level and Advanced Level, extra curricular activities should be encouraged in the school system as it would be crucial for the majority of students who end up at the job market and very useful for others who take up to blue collar jobs. YESL President Patrick Amarasinghe said the program proposes to humanise education and gives an insight to the opportunities available in the business world. "It is a proven project and Sri Lanka must take advantage of this opportunity," he said. Amarasinghe said the Sri Lankan wing had been requested to lead the South Asian Junior Achievement Worldwide (JAW) programs in Nepal, India and Pakistan for the outstanding achievements it has shown for the past five years in Sri Lanka. Musaeus College, Colombo; Richmond College, Galle; Southlands College, Galle; Sumana Vidyalaya, Ratnapura; Ferguson Girls High School, Ratnapura; Wannam Sri Jayawardenapura Balika Vidyalaya and Julampitiya Maha Vidyalaya, Hambantota were among the schools which received awards under the YESL program launched in 300 schools islandwide under elementary, middle and high school categories. Colombo Musaeus College bagged the most number of awards along with the most outstanding Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Nimasha Herath, President of Musaeus College's Rendezvous Company won this prestigious award presented by the YESL. The two runners up awards went to Anushka Maduranga de Silva, President Ex-Rich Company of Richmond College, Galle and Rajima Dilmani, President Green Shadows Company Ferguson High School, Ratnapura. YESL is a member of JAW USA initiated in 1919 as a non- profit organisation to promote economic and business education among school children worldwide. CEO YESL Premasiri Weliwita also spoke. Chairman, commercial Bank and the Joint Business forum Mahendra Amarasuriya was the guest of Honour. |
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