Conduct of Sinhala language courses for Tamil civilians and Tamil courses for Army personnel in the Jaffna peninsula recently marked a significant turning point in its efforts to bridge communication gaps between civilians and Security Forces when 42 Tamil youngsters after completing their seventeen-week long Sinhala language course received their proficiency certificates.
Course attendees, Gayathri Jayaweerasingham, Geethanjalee Sri Lingam, Tharshani Sinnarasa, Sopika Krishnapillai and Kanakasuriyar Sivavarthalingam Chettiyar succeeded in getting more than 75% marks in the final test. 24 of them scored more than 50% and the rest got through with pass marks.
The course on Sinhala language was initiated at the request of Jaffna civilians by the Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna (SFHQ – J) on the directions of Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander, SFHQ – J. Similar Tamil courses are also being conducted at different formations under the SFHQ – J with a view to imparting a working Tamil knowledge to officers and soldiers in the Army alike.
Those Sinhala classes, tutored by Prof S. Leelakrishnan, a visiting lecturer at Kopay Teachers’ Training College were free of charge and ended after 17 weeks. A variety entertainment, presented by those course attendees themselves in Sinhala during the proficiency certificate awarding ceremony proved their talents and proficiency in Sinhala language.
The ceremony was attended by Prof S. Leelakrishnan, Brigadier Pradeep De Silva, 513 Brigade Commander, Mrs S Jayaweerasingham, Principal, Manipay Ladies’ College, Mr T Thiruchelvam and Mr K Ravikumar, two well-wishers from the area and a gathering of civilians.
Course attendees, Gayathri Jayaweerasingham, Geethanjalee Sri Lingam, Tharshani Sinnarasa, Sopika Krishnapillai and Kanakasuriyar Sivavarthalingam Chettiyar succeeded in getting more than 75% marks in the final test. 24 of them scored more than 50% and the rest got through with pass marks.
The course on Sinhala language was initiated at the request of Jaffna civilians by the Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna (SFHQ – J) on the directions of Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander, SFHQ – J. Similar Tamil courses are also being conducted at different formations under the SFHQ – J with a view to imparting a working Tamil knowledge to officers and soldiers in the Army alike.
Those Sinhala classes, tutored by Prof S. Leelakrishnan, a visiting lecturer at Kopay Teachers’ Training College were free of charge and ended after 17 weeks. A variety entertainment, presented by those course attendees themselves in Sinhala during the proficiency certificate awarding ceremony proved their talents and proficiency in Sinhala language.
The ceremony was attended by Prof S. Leelakrishnan, Brigadier Pradeep De Silva, 513 Brigade Commander, Mrs S Jayaweerasingham, Principal, Manipay Ladies’ College, Mr T Thiruchelvam and Mr K Ravikumar, two well-wishers from the area and a gathering of civilians.
