John Keells celebrates Regional English Day
Approximately 1,107 students from all nine Provinces who completed the John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme gathered in five Provinces namely, Northern, Central, Western, Southern and Eastern to participate in the John Keells Regional English Day events which were held in the months of June and July.
The English Day events provide a platform for the John Keells English scholars to showcase their talents through performance of dramas and poems, build self-confidence and interact with students from other locations.
The John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme was launched in 2004 with the objective of enhancing English language skills of school children and youth from socially/economically disadvantaged backgrounds throughout the Island towards improving their opportunities for higher learning and sustainable employment. Over the years, this scholarship programme, owned and managed by John Keells Foundation (JKF) - the Corporate Social Responsibility unit of John Keells Group (JKH) - and implemented by the Gateway Language Centre, has sponsored a range of scholarships for schoolchildren and school-leavers and customized programmes designed to suit special groups such as the undergraduates of the University of Moratuwa Transportation and Logistics Degree Programme, Students at the School for the Deaf and Blind, Ratmalana and trackers of the Yala National Park, empowering the lives of over 16,000 individuals in various parts of the country as at March 31, 2018.
In 2017/2018, a total of 1181 scholarships were awarded in 22 locations in 19 Districts. An aggregate of 1107 school children completed the foundation-level course with a minimum attendance record of 80% while another 126 children completed the pre-intermediate level course in 13 locations in 10 Districts. Students who received an honours-pass at preintermediate level in 2017/18 were offered intermediate level scholarships with 36 students completing the course in 8 locations of 6 Districts. During the year, the programme was also restructured to include 22 hours of ICT training to complement the 54-hour English language training as a means of developing the digital skills of the scholars and facilitate the use of online resources to enhance and sustain learning of English.
The items performed at each location were adjudged by a panel of three independent judges for the Best Drama, Best Poem and Best Performer. An award for the Best Teacher was also given out.
John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme Project Champion Kumudu Munasinghe said: “The objective of the programme is to enhance English language skills, particularly the confidence to converse in English, towards improving their opportunities for higher learning and employment. Today we are proud to see how confidently our scholars took the stage and we hope this is one of many steps you will take to further your knowledge and confidence in communicating in English.”
Gateway Language Centre Manager Wathsala Dissanayake said: “In 2017/18 It/computer studies was introduced into this programme as both John Keells and Gateway are aware that this too is a key requirement for our youth to seek better employment after completing higher studies.”
Students who completed the John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme with Honours Passes were awarded certificates at the respective English Day events.