Mirror Magazine

“‘To be world class, you’ll have to be world aware,’” quotes Sri Kandasamy, the Education Services Manager at the British Council. He’s simply stating a truth that’s dawning on the rest of the world. In fact, with the UK government’s declaration that every single school in the UK must be ‘linked’ with a school overseas by the year 2010, the trend has gathered an added impetus. Knowing your neighbour is, however, sometimes easier said than done. At the World Links Seminar, organised as a part of the Global School Linking programme, all the delegates were doing exactly that.

An initiative of the British Council in Sri Lanka, the stated aim of the Global School Linking programme is to help Sri Lankan schools and teachers establish sustainable partnerships with UK schools. Such partner schools conduct mutually beneficial projects based on the school curriculum, thereby sharing information and learning with one another. For students the programme provides great exposure to new cultures, lifestyles and perceptions. The projects themselves are ideal showcases and launching pads for both student talent and achievement. Of course, making it work is a learning experience in itself. Both students and teachers must soon become adept at collaborative working (especially with schools), project building, and working across the curriculum.

Projects begin with about 40 or 50 children, though ultimately, the whole school is drawn into the project. Participants are encouraged to base their work on the eight DFIDs or eight global dimension themes. These are: global citizenship, conflict resolution, diversity, human rights, interdependence, social justice, values and perceptions, and sustainable development. Emphasis on such themes could make the project eligible for various opportunities, including funding opportunities to visit the foreign partner school.

The next step up the ladder could very well be the ISA or the International School Awards. The awards provide recognition for teachers and their schools working to instil a global dimension into the learning experience of all children and young people. “It’s all about being exposed to a different culture,” says Zainab Barry, an assistant teacher from Bishop’s College, Colombo. Children can also learn a great deal from the strengths of the other school. For instance, she believes that while many local schools could profit from the superior technology at the disposal of the U.K school, they in turn have a lot to learn from our culture. The teachers themselves become aware of new teaching techniques and are given the chance to gain hands on experience.

In the scheme of things, it’s not only the students and the teachers who benefit, but the school as a whole, including the management and the non-teaching staff, reveals Jean Johnes from the Wolfreton Language College. For her, as for the others, the experience opens up a world of practical, hands on experience and information about what the host country is really like. “As part of this programme, I have seen people and places that I would not have had the chance to see or meet otherwise.” In the end it really helps develop appreciation and respect for our similarities and differences.

Those interested in finding out more can contact the Head of Schools Projects at the British Council, No. 49, Alfred House Gardens, Colombo 3. Tel: 2581171