by K.S. Sivakumaran

Being with young people

If we are ageing biologically, one way to keep fit and young at heart is to be with the younger people and try to learn from them and impart or share with them the little experiences you have had and the learning and wisdom you have acquired over the years. I do that. And I am happy in understanding the psychology of energetic and mentally sharp students. Yes, I am now with the Gateway College now situated in Rajagiriya in the Kotte area. The functional and ritual opening of a new set of buildings, primarily for the very young people took place on Sunday, January 29, 2006. This international institute linked with the University of London has also an undergraduate department. By February 16, the remaining sections of the school (earlier this institute was called the Gateway
International School) housed in Borella would have been shifted to the sprawling area of the school premises that has all the facilities. 

The enterprising Alles family run the institution. The Chairman, as we all know, is the well known educationist (at Royal, Zahira D.S. Senanayake, Ministry of Education et al ) Mr.R.I.T. Alles. The Directorate includes his spouse, his son Dr.Harsha Alles and his spouse. As in the British system of school administration, the livewire of educational planning is the Head Master. As an innovative teacher and disciplinarian Mr Somabandhu Kodikara has excelled himself. I know this by observing him at the Sri Lankan School in Muscat, Oman, where he headed that institute. And yours truly had the pleasure of knowing his bent on intellectual and cultural pursuits besides his being strictly a refreshed and updated educationist. As in the British System, the administrative head of this institution is known as the Head Master.

In this college, I have a formidable task of coaching young people who had sat for the local GCE examination in Sinhala medium to make them feel at ease in sitting for the English paper in the London GCE O/L examination before May this year. It is both a challenging and pleasant task for me to understand the young minds that had had their entire education in Sinhala in well known state schools in Colombo and other places. With my limited knowledge of Sinhala, (in fact, I am learning from them), I manage to converse with them in the language that the majority of people speak in this country and direct them to familiarise themselves with the London requirements.

As most of us know, the English paper is orientated in encouraging creative expressions in composition and comprehension. A wide reading is a pre-requisite. Most children do not read and don not even know the names of the Lankan newspapers in English. It is a slow process and yet productive and profitable. Fittingly, the class is known as 'Conversion Class' and not a 'crash programme' class. Unlike a forcible religious or political conversion, this change from one style to the other, from one language to the other is done with friendly persuasion. I enjoy this task.

Prize-Giving

Perhaps the first prize giving of an International School in Colombo, that of the Colombo  South International College in Kalubowila, Dehiwela took place on February 02, 2006. This was held at the Bishop's College Auditorium down Perahera Mawatha coming under the Colombo 03 zone. Senior Professor of Chemistry in the Open University, J.N.O. Fernando and Mrs. Mandrupa Fernando were the Chief Guests.

Yours truly was associated with this institution as well, thanks to another educationist with a perceptive mind and exemplary capabilities, and one who inculcated values among children, Mr.S.J.Samuel. He was also the Principal for a long time at the Majeediyya School, a leading institution in Male in the Republic of Maldives. He recruited me as a teacher in that school in the late 19990s and followed suit last year when he took over as the Principal of the CSIC. Presently he is in the Board of Directors headed by Mr.Mangala Wijekukaratne and his family that run a Montessori School in Florida, USA.

Both Mr.Samuel and Mr.Kodikara recruited me in their new educational institutions just as they did previously during their earlier stints as
leading heads of schools.

The hackneyed saying that the 'rolling stone gathers no moss' is no longer applicable, at least for me, particularly when there are plenty of
opportunities for one that is interested in gaining wide experiences. 

Unlike in the west, we in Sri Lanka for most part strict to one job till the end thus limiting ourselves to one job or the other. This could be less productive especially when multiple disciplines that require skills are required to keep on fit and suitable. The restraints in going up the ladder could also be one reason why people shift from one job to the other. 

For instance, I could boast that I continue to get wider experiences in doing varied jobs that in fact add to my gaining knowledge, skills and
experiences. Up till now I had had the fortune of milling myself as a an editorial assistant, translator, radio news writer and editor radio
presenter and news reader, television news copywriter, advertising copy writer, information assistant in a diplomatic mission, culture editor in an English daily, associate editor in a Thamil daily, pioneer editor of a Thamil weekly, English teacher in schools in Maldives, Oman, the U.S. and Sri Lanka, regular literary columnist for Lankan newspapers in English and Thamil, sales associate in the U.S. - this process of learning has immensely helped me in understanding my strengths and limitations, understanding of people, understanding new trades and skills and understanding of the society and the world. I should say that by shifting from one discipline to another makes me richer in adjusting myself to the rapidly changing world.

Thri Shakra

I gather 'Thri Shakra' means three wheels. One of the leading girls schools in Colombo 03, the Methodist College invited yours truly as a guest to the presentation of the annual Kalai Vila' (The Arts Festival) by the schools Thamil Literary Association on January 27,2006. The chief guest at this colourful presentation was Mr.C.T.Rajendram, senior lecturer in the faculty of education at the Open University in Nawala. It was gratifying to listen to him when he related the importance of extra curricular activities of students and identifying their individual talents and the development of these skills. 

As the Principal of the school, Mrs.S.Dias, rightly said, 'in this age of globalization culture tend to be 'merged' or 'diluted' to accommodate the various influences one comes into contact with. At the same time, culture should also not be used to create division to claim superiority; so it is good to have programmes like this, where others may learn to appreciate  and enjoy other cultures from a young age, without any bias.'

I was very happy to be with the young people as they interpreted in terms of their understanding of classical and contemporary cultural traits. I appreciated very much the particular narration and performances of some of the stories from the Indian epics - the Ramayana and the Mahabarata. In fact all the varied cultural performances in songs, dances, and skits were thoroughly enjoyable. It was the children collectively took over all aspects of a presentation of this nature. Congratulations.

Contact: sivakumaranks@yahoo.com / 011-94-1-2587617