AAT is the secret behind my success
View(s):“AAT is a course a student can start just after O/Ls. Today, the education system in the country is such that a pupil is kept waiting for months after the GCE O/L and A/L exams, until results are released. In an era where the world is facing rapid development in all sectors, and the job market is getting competitive day by day, one should not be wasting time waiting for things to happen. People have realized this nowadays, and after A/Ls, parents look for a recognized professional qualification for their child. But one should be wise and careful in choosing an institute that would guide a child to achieve his/ her goals in life.” said Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Sri Lanka Chairman Ganaka Amarasinghe speaking at an event held recently to felicitate Seshani Gunathillake who became first in the island in the commerce stream at the 2012 GCE A/L examination.
“Today we come across many institutes that offer various degrees, diplomas and courses making use of this situation, simply with the prime intention of making money. We are a totally independent organization which is not profit-oriented. Also, the registration fee for a student being only Rs 800, AAT is highly cost-effective compared to other similar institutions,” said Amarasinghe highlighting why one must select AAT.
He further said that following AAT is highly beneficial for students as it helps them build confidence to face the A/L exam while making their studies easier. “Last year, out of the top 100 at the A/Ls. 40 were AAT students. We are happy to announce that there are five of our students among the top 10 this year, including Seshani, the island best.” he added.
The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Sri Lanka was established back in 1987 as the outcome of a research done by Asian Development Bank which concluded that the country needs young professionals in the field of accounting.
“AAT is an institution with a proud history of 25 years. Today we have about 36,000 registered students across the country, more than 20,000 passed finalists and around 4,000 members with us,” said Amarasinghe.
According to him, as AAT is available in all the provinces, students living in any part of the country have easy access to the course and even the examinations are conducted at centres islandwide.
Another important feature of AAT is that the course and examinations are conducted in all three languages — English, Sinhala and Tamil. Prepared set of study material, texts and past papers are also available in all three languages at the institute. All these factors together make AAT a course open to anyone from any level of society.
In addition, three information centres have been established in Jaffna, Kurunegala and Matara to cover the wide student base, so that students do not have to waste their time and money travelling to Colombo for any matter.
Each year, about 20,000 candidates sit for the exams which makes AAT the largest national level examination after O/Ls and A/Ls. Most importantly, those who conduct AAT exams in all parts of the country are monitored by the head office in Colombo. The other important fact about AAT is that they are efficient and reliable in their services.
“We always ensure that results are released on time, that is within two months of the exam and we don’t keep students waiting. We conduct exams twice a year and that enables a student to complete the whole course within one and a half years,” said Amarasinghe.
Recently, the AAT qualification was recognized by the University of South Queensland (USQ). Australia. ‘The students who complete AAT here can directly apply for the MBA at the USQ, which is a great opportunity,” said Amarasinghe adding, “Here at AAT. facilities are provided for one to become a professional by the age of 21.”
The top achiever at the 2012 A/Ls Seshani Gunathillake speaking at the event, said that she started doing AAT just after her O/Ls and completed the course one year before her A/L exam, which she said was a definite advantage. “Most people think that doing only the foundation level of AAT will be sufficient, but I would advise through experience that one completes the whole course before
A/Ls as it helps a lot to pass the exam well,” she said adding that on the other hand, one should not keep away from school, as school education plays an important role in obtaining good results at the exam.
Seshani who also became second in the island at the AAT final exam in July 2011. said her ambition was to become a respected CEO like Bill Gates, adding that she would excel in not just accounting but other areas like IT and management as well. She also highlighted the importance of a student gaining professional as well as academic qualifications and said that following both a professional course like AAT along with A/Ls, and doing well in both, shows one’s cleverness. “Having intelligence alone would not do, intelligence together with cleverness is what makes one outstanding,” said Seshani expressing her ideas at the event.
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