Mobile library launched in Jaffna to improve English skills

A mobile library was today launched in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Jaffna city by a Singaporean non-profit organisation aimed at enhancing English communication skills of some 3,000 local youths.
Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam launched the library, developed by Singapore International Foundation (SIF).
The SIF, engaged in capacity-building projects in Sri Lanka since 1993, developed the project in consultation with the Jaffna Municipal Council, Jaffna Public Library (JPL), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, and the National Library Board, Singapore (NLB).
The mobile library was donated to JPL and its youth section was also refurbished. The NLB donated 10,000 English books to JPL to create a Youth Resource Centre and to provide a conducive environment for youth to learn and practise communicating in English, the SIF said.

Over the next 12 months, English language teachers from Singapore will serve as specialist volunteers to train 15 Jaffna teachers in English language communication pedagogy and student assessment methods to enhance the quality of English language teaching in secondary and high schools.
The Jaffna teachers were expected to apply this newly- acquired knowledge in their daily work and cascade it to fellow educators, parents and the wider community, it said.
"We hope that our collective efforts will not only inspire a vibrant culture of English Language learning here in Jaffna and effect positive changes in the lives of youth in terms of better jobs and opportunities in the future, but also pave the way for lasting friendships between Singapore and Sri Lanka," said SIF executive director Jean Tan.

The initiative was sponsored by the Singapore Ceylon Tamils' association and Modern Montessori International, with support from the Prima Group and Pacific International Lines, two leading businesses here.