Teachers’ Day celebrations in Bandarawela
International Teachers’ Day celebration was held in Bandarawela with the participation of over 300 teachers including teachers from the North and East.
The programme commenced in the early hours of October 5th at the Hindu Cultural Hall in Bandarawela. The distinguished guests were welcomed by the western band of Bandarawela Tamil Madhya Maha Vidyalaya and escorted to the Bandarawela Hindu Cultural Hall. The International Teachers’ Day celebration was elegantly conducted with the national leader of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union Mr. V. T. Sagadevaraja presiding. The event was sponsored by the Institute of Education International.
This was a first in Bandarawela with the union recognizing the immense service rendered by Tamil speaking principals and teachers.
Chief guest Mrs. Yoganathan Kalaiarasi, Additional Director of Education for Uva province, and guests of honour, former Zonal Director of Education, Bandarawela, S. Nadaraj, Zonal Assistant Director of Education, Bandarawela S. Mathiyalagan, Zonal Assistant Director of Education, Badulla Mr. V. Karunakaran, Zonal Assistant Director of Education, Passara Mr. S. Manoharan, the principal of Passara Tamil Maha Vidyayalam Mr. P. Arumugam were among of those present and honoured with the presentation of silk shawls.
The teachers of Bandarawela Tamil Madhya Maha Vidyalaya sang the song ‘Thamil Thai Vanakam” and also the teachers’ song.
Deputy leader of the Union Mr. S. Balasubramaniam delivered the welcome address while the national leader of the union delivered the inaugural speech. Subsequently, the general secretary Sara Puwaneswaran delivered the felicitation. All principals and teachers were presented with tokens of appreciation and gifts.
A poem by a teacher of Thambuluvil, S.P Nathan, and a playlet, a dance performance by Sivapragasam and another by the dance troupe of Bandarawela Tamil Madhya Maha Vidyalayam completed the celebration.
-P.Kulendrakumar