SPEECH BY MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS GEORGE YEO AT THE INAUGURATION
CEREMONY FOR TANGALLE PRIMARY SCHOOL, REWATHA NATIONAL COLLEGE AND
VIJITHA CENTRAL COLLEGE, AT TANGALLE PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HAMBANTOTA
DISTRICT, SRI LANKA AT 10 AM ON 16 OCTOBER 2009
Honourable Chamal Rajapaksa
Minister of Ports and Aviation
Honourable Kumari Balasuriya
Governor of Southern Province
Honourable Mahinda Amaraweera
Minister of Water Supply
Principals of Tangalle Primary School,
Vijitha Central College, and
Rewatha National College
Distinguished Guests
Teachers, students, proud parents, fellow Singaporeans, ladies and
gentlemen
1 I am deeply touched by your very warm welcome. Singapore
is honoured to be in a position to render some assistance to Sri Lanka
following the tsunami of 26 December 2004.
2 This morning, we mark the joint inauguration of three
upgraded and refurbished schools - Tangalle Primary School here in
Hambantota, Vijitha Central College in Matara and Rewatha National
College in Galle. In addition to repairs and refurbishment, new
facilities have been provided. More classrooms have been added to
Tangalle Primary School and Vijitha Central College. With more
classrooms and better facilities, the three schools can now enroll a
total of more than 6,400 students.
3 The total project cost for the three schools is about
$5.6 million Singapore dollars or about 460 million Sri Lanka Rupees.
The money was jointly donated by the Singapore Government and the
Singapore Red Cross Society. Singaporeans of different races and
religions, from all walks of life, contributed through the Tidal Waves
Asia Fund managed by the Singapore Red Cross Society.
4 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the
project team from Singapore comprising representatives from the
Singapore Red Cross Society, the Construction Industry Joint Committee
and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for all the work they put
in to steer the project and see it to completion. I would also like
to thank the Government of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Ministry of
Education, and the principals, staff and students of the three
schools, for your cooperation and friendship throughout this period.
5 I would like to make a special mention of Sri Lanka’s
Tsunami Education Rehabilitation Monitor, or TERM. As project manager
on the ground overseeing the upgrading and refurbishment of the
schools, TERM worked closely with the Singapore project team,
providing timely and sound advice throughout the duration of the
project. Last but not least, we thank the two contractors, Nawaloka
Construction Company and Tharungi Construction and Supplies, for doing
a very professional job. Together, the various parties had worked
hard to ensure the successful completion of the project, which was on
schedule, according to specifications and within budget. Many of you
who laboured long and hard on the project are here today in the
audience and I thank you personally for your labour of love.
6 A school is much more than just the buildings and
physical facilities. What matter much more are the spirit of the
school and its traditions as embodied in the principals, the teachers
and the students. As part of our continuous engagement with Sri
Lanka, I am happy to invite the principals of Tangalle Primary School,
Vijitha Central College and Rewatha National College to Singapore for
the "Leaders in Education Programme". Participants under this
programme are exposed to various aspects of the Singapore education
system and also various professional training programmes. It is also
an opportunity to build bridges of friendship and cooperation between
our two countries. I hope that the principals can take time off their
busy schedules to attend the 10-day course.
7 In addition to the upgrading and refurbishment of the
three schools, the Singapore Government conducted two customised
teacher-training courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme for
31 teachers from the three schools in 2007. We were struck by the
enthusiasm, the dedication and the passion of the teachers. Because
of the success of the programme, I am happy to announce that two more
courses in “Enhancing Pedagogy” will be conducted for teachers of the
three schools who had missed out on the courses conducted earlier.
8 A Singapore book and stationery company called Popular
Book Shop will soon be delivering various quantities of roller ink
pens, pencils, school bags and other stationery items as a donation to
the students of the three schools. Seeing the bright eyes and smiling
faces of some of the students who greeted us this morning, we from
Singapore feel very proud to be able to make a modest contribution to
their future. And we are delighted to be part of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa’s determination for the next war, for better education in
Sri Lanka.
9 Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I hope that
the bonds of friendship between the peoples of our two countries will
continue to strengthen in the years ahead. As Sri Lanka steps out of
the shadow of the tsunami and the civil war, I wish you every success
in national reconciliation and the rebuilding of your country.
10 Thank you.
CEREMONY FOR TANGALLE PRIMARY SCHOOL, REWATHA NATIONAL COLLEGE AND
VIJITHA CENTRAL COLLEGE, AT TANGALLE PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HAMBANTOTA
DISTRICT, SRI LANKA AT 10 AM ON 16 OCTOBER 2009
Honourable Chamal Rajapaksa
Minister of Ports and Aviation
Honourable Kumari Balasuriya
Governor of Southern Province
Honourable Mahinda Amaraweera
Minister of Water Supply
Principals of Tangalle Primary School,
Vijitha Central College, and
Rewatha National College
Distinguished Guests
Teachers, students, proud parents, fellow Singaporeans, ladies and
gentlemen
1 I am deeply touched by your very warm welcome. Singapore
is honoured to be in a position to render some assistance to Sri Lanka
following the tsunami of 26 December 2004.
2 This morning, we mark the joint inauguration of three
upgraded and refurbished schools - Tangalle Primary School here in
Hambantota, Vijitha Central College in Matara and Rewatha National
College in Galle. In addition to repairs and refurbishment, new
facilities have been provided. More classrooms have been added to
Tangalle Primary School and Vijitha Central College. With more
classrooms and better facilities, the three schools can now enroll a
total of more than 6,400 students.
3 The total project cost for the three schools is about
$5.6 million Singapore dollars or about 460 million Sri Lanka Rupees.
The money was jointly donated by the Singapore Government and the
Singapore Red Cross Society. Singaporeans of different races and
religions, from all walks of life, contributed through the Tidal Waves
Asia Fund managed by the Singapore Red Cross Society.
4 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the
project team from Singapore comprising representatives from the
Singapore Red Cross Society, the Construction Industry Joint Committee
and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for all the work they put
in to steer the project and see it to completion. I would also like
to thank the Government of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Ministry of
Education, and the principals, staff and students of the three
schools, for your cooperation and friendship throughout this period.
5 I would like to make a special mention of Sri Lanka’s
Tsunami Education Rehabilitation Monitor, or TERM. As project manager
on the ground overseeing the upgrading and refurbishment of the
schools, TERM worked closely with the Singapore project team,
providing timely and sound advice throughout the duration of the
project. Last but not least, we thank the two contractors, Nawaloka
Construction Company and Tharungi Construction and Supplies, for doing
a very professional job. Together, the various parties had worked
hard to ensure the successful completion of the project, which was on
schedule, according to specifications and within budget. Many of you
who laboured long and hard on the project are here today in the
audience and I thank you personally for your labour of love.
6 A school is much more than just the buildings and
physical facilities. What matter much more are the spirit of the
school and its traditions as embodied in the principals, the teachers
and the students. As part of our continuous engagement with Sri
Lanka, I am happy to invite the principals of Tangalle Primary School,
Vijitha Central College and Rewatha National College to Singapore for
the "Leaders in Education Programme". Participants under this
programme are exposed to various aspects of the Singapore education
system and also various professional training programmes. It is also
an opportunity to build bridges of friendship and cooperation between
our two countries. I hope that the principals can take time off their
busy schedules to attend the 10-day course.
7 In addition to the upgrading and refurbishment of the
three schools, the Singapore Government conducted two customised
teacher-training courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme for
31 teachers from the three schools in 2007. We were struck by the
enthusiasm, the dedication and the passion of the teachers. Because
of the success of the programme, I am happy to announce that two more
courses in “Enhancing Pedagogy” will be conducted for teachers of the
three schools who had missed out on the courses conducted earlier.
8 A Singapore book and stationery company called Popular
Book Shop will soon be delivering various quantities of roller ink
pens, pencils, school bags and other stationery items as a donation to
the students of the three schools. Seeing the bright eyes and smiling
faces of some of the students who greeted us this morning, we from
Singapore feel very proud to be able to make a modest contribution to
their future. And we are delighted to be part of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa’s determination for the next war, for better education in
Sri Lanka.
9 Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I hope that
the bonds of friendship between the peoples of our two countries will
continue to strengthen in the years ahead. As Sri Lanka steps out of
the shadow of the tsunami and the civil war, I wish you every success
in national reconciliation and the rebuilding of your country.
10 Thank you.
Dear Mr Yeo,
I saw the photo of you cracking a coconut in Sri Lanka and found it interesting, thus I came to your blog to read more about your visit in Sri Lanka and I was immensely rewarded with your rich sharing!
Thanks Minister!
Warmest Regards,
Singapore Short Stories
Posted by: Singapore Short Stories | October 19, 2009 at 10:13 PM
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Thanks for sharing, keep posting.
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Posted by: Term Papers | December 07, 2009 at 06:41 PM