Lankan IT teachers’ S.Korean training extended to 4 years

A Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU) was signed between Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena and the South Korean government to extend Sri Lankan Information Technology ( IT) teachers’ training programme in South Korea.

Previously, the training given to IT teachers was for a short period. However, during his visit to South Korea, Minister Gunawardena has got the training extended to four years. This training programme, currently for 21 teachers, is conducted at the Gwangjang Metropolitan Educational Department.

Ambassador Monchau further said that 12,000 books given to Sri Lanka by the French government, in application of a bilateral cooperation agreement signed in 1970, is now with Alliance Française de Colombo, while students and professors of the Kotte institution are not allowed to take advantage of this library.

“I held out my hand and reached out to the two managing committees in order to facilitate reconciliation, but the Committee managing the Barnes Place institute has not responded to my attempts to date,” he said.

The Ambassador said that he was willing to hold negotiations to resolve the issue.

However, Alliance Française de Colombo President, Sheriff Abdul Rahuman said they wrote a letter to the French Ambassador, several months before, to meet at a ‘neutral place’ to discuss the matter, and hence, it was wrong to say that they did not attempt to discuss and resolve it.

“All Alliance Française are independent organisations. They are founded under the companies Act and registered with the Registrar of Companies as local companies. These institutions do not need an accreditation from any Embassy,” Mr Rahuman said.

According to Mr Rahuman, the Alliance Française de Colombo was taken over by them in 2010, informing the Embassy they will be functioning on their own. Since then there has been constant allegations and Embassy interference in its affairs.

“We were the first organisation in Sri Lanka to have the name ‘Alliance Française’. Others came after us. They have no right to tell us not to go ahead individually,” he said, adding that, the French Embassy has no role to play in this matter. (AW)

“The Life and Works of a Universal Man”, a book by journalist Sampath Bandara, portraying the early life, works and contributions to society by Dr Ananda Coomaraswamy, was launched at the National Library and Documentation Services on July 3.