First Batch of Teacher Educators Complete their Training in Siyane

   SRI LANKA, Colombo, September 2009 – With the aim of cultivating and empowering the next generation of innovators in the field of education, the Intel Education Initiative launched technology supported education training with the aim of integrating the use of Information Technology into everyday teaching methods. Directed both at teachers who are still in training as well as existing educators, the programme’s long term aim is to produce a generation that is fully equipped to face the challenges of an ever evolving workforce.

The first batch of Teacher Educators trained through this programme successfully completed their training recently in Siyane. Nineteen Teacher Educators from the National Colleges of Education (NCoE) of Sripada, Saripuththa, Siyane, Mahaweli and Hapitigama attended the six day residential training programme.

Commenting on the success of the training and the commitment Intel has proven over the years to the betterment of Education in Sri Lanka, Indika De Zoysa, Country Manager Sri Lanka, Intel EM Ltd said that the Intel Teacher Education programme was targeted at furthering the long term goals of a better educated and technologically advanced future for the youth of our country. “We are very proud of the teachers who have completed the programme. They have shown a high degree of dedication to learning all they can of the technology and have been innovative and imaginative in how best to employ the use of technology to enhance their students’ education. Through the training of teachers we believe that a wide spread affect will ensure, empowering the lives of their students and equipping them for future challenges.

The training programme was organized by Mr. Y. A. N. D. Yapa the Chief Commissioner of Teacher Education with the support of Mr. Nimal Jayasekara the President of Siyane NCoE. Resources were provided by Mr. Anura Dissanayake the Project Director of Secondary Education Modernization Project (SEMP) of Ministry of Education and concluded with the teachers showcasing their project portfolios to the trainers at the end of the programme.

Speaking on the results of the training, Mr. Y. A. N. Yapa, the Chief Commissioner of Teacher Education, was enthusiastic about the new confidence and the level of innovation expressed by the teachers. “They were very comfortable combining their curriculum with the use of technology and I am confident that the effects of their training will have the desired result of enhancing the education they provide. I am very thankful to Intel and the Secondary Education Modernization Project (SEMP) of the Ministry of Education for making this possible.”

The Intel Teach pre service training programme will help educators around the island learn how to use Information Technology to better their teaching and the overall quality of their students’ education. They will now be better able to employ a more student centred approach and incorporate relevance and the appropriate use of technology to enhance communication, creativity and the enthusiasm to learn in their students.

Caption:

Picture 1: The first batch of Teacher Educators who completed their training recently in Siyane

Seated from left to right: Mr. Tominaga, Volunteer from Japan; Mr. Priyantha Weerabahu, Intel Education Program Manager; Mr. Y. A. N. D. Yapa, Chief Commissioner, Teacher Education; Mr. Nimal Jayasekara, President, Siyane National College of Education (NCoE); a Teacher Educator from Mahaweli NCoE; and Mr. Dulip Gunasekara, Project Manager Intel Teach training team with the Teacher Educators.