Financial Times

English language training for Habarana kids through JKH Foundation

Over 250 students from Habarana have been given an opportunity to improve their English language proficiency– enabling them to acquire a much needed skill in a competitive world that often overlooks rural communities such as those of Habarana.

The 250 students – all between the ages of 10 and 14 – are winners of the John Keells English Language Scholarship for a six month foundation course in English, conducted by the Gateway Language Centre. 116 of them have already completed their course while a new batch of 130 students has just been inducted into a second 6 month programme in Habarana, the company said last week.

This first batch of students passed out recently and was awarded their certificates at a ceremony held at the Habarana Maha Vidyalaya.

The students used the opportunity to showcase their newly acquired language skills and presented several enthusiastic performances, including a passionate excerpt from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar that left the audience spellbound.

Sumithra Gunesekera, Director – John Keells Holdings and head of the John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation said, “These students are living proof of what potential our children have – all they need is the right kind of support and encouragement. We are privileged to have had an opportunity to touch these children’s lives – and we hope that we have been able to make some impact on their future.”

The six-month foundation programme in English is part of the John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation’s English Language Scholarship Programme which currently benefits over 550 students, including over 100 children of employees.

The scholarship programme is currently carried out at Gateway Language Centers in Colombo, Galle, Matara, Bandarawela, Gampaha, Kandy, Panadura, Wellawaya, Habarana and Batticaloa.

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