The British Council in Sri Lanka partnered with Ricky Mendis to launch a project to improve the quality of English language education in Sri Lanka.
The Teacher Education for English, a British Council project, will contribute to improving the levels of teaching and learning in the country.
Ricky Mendis is a well-known corporate leader who shares the British Council’s vision of a thriving, globally connected Sri Lanka. His prompt response to the British Council’s appeal resulted in a donation of Rs 65.7 million to fund the project.
“My decision to fund the program arose from my concern for the employability of intelligent, qualified young men and women, who are handicapped by their lack of knowledge and use of the English language,” Mendis said.
The project’s goal is to enhance students’ access to good education and employment opportunities by improving the quality of the teaching of English, the language commonly used in higher education and the private sector. The project is an example of the way in which industry and persons can contribute to develop the skills of youth to support them in securing employment and the country’s economic development through the quality of teaching.
The Teacher Education for English Project (TEE) complements the British Council’s Improving Teacher Education in Sri Lanka Project (ITESL), which focuses on the professional development and skills of teacher educators and principals.
British Council Country Director Gill Caldicott said, “We are proud to be delivering the project to improve the teaching and learning of English in Sri Lanka. Ricky Mendis’ vision for a globally connected Sri Lanka with good levels of English will find resonance with employers and educationalists country-wide.”