Immediate steps to develop education in NE urged

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 January 2003, 20:28 GMT]
Speaking at the conclusion of an education workshop held at Killinochchi Maha Vidiyalyam on Monday, the head of the Thamileelam Educational Development Council (TEEDC), Mr.V.Ilankumaran, said that Tamils should not hesitate to fight for their educational rights, but they needed to take immediate steps to develop education in the North-East with available funds and other resources, without waiting until more money for education becomes available.

The workshop was held to formulate education development projects to be implemented in the North-East this year.

Rev.Fr Francis Joseph, President of the Thamil Eelam Educational Development Council..

Twelve zonal directors and deputy directors in the Northern province and education officials of the North-East provincial ministry of education participated in the three-day workshop.

Last week a similar workshop was held in Trincomalee for zonal directors and deputy directors.

The President of the TEEDC, Rev.Fr.Francis Jospeh, said that education officials should not take revenge on others. "Officials should work for the development of education in the North-East province with dedication, leaving aside their differences with a team spirit," he said.

"Honesty is needed for good administration. Likewise, punctuality is needed for training. This should be borne in mind by everyone who works for the development of education in the North-East province," said Fr. Joseph.

Mr.K. Nadarajah, Director Of the Institute for German Technical Co-operation, said that even in the midst of a brutal war for the last twenty years, the standard of education in the NorthEast has not fallen. Instead, North-East students excelled in their studies better than many other provinces in the country. Provincial Director of Education, Mr.S.Mahalingam, also spoke at the workshop.