2009 Year of English & Information Technology

 

 

 

 

 

 

2009 Year of English & Information Technology

            This initiative intends to promote the vision of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to create a Knowledge Society where people from all corners of Sri Lanka may create, share and knowledge as a primary production resource to improve their living standards.

            In August 2008, His Excellency appointed a Presidential Task Force on English and IT to spearhead and guide the activities to be implemented by various government institutions and the private sector. Headed by Hon. Dr. Sarath Amunugama , Minister of  Public Administration and Home Affairs , the Task Force draws upon the knowledge and expertise of a large number of People in the education and Information Technology fields who are committed to the task of propagating a Knowledge Society in the country.

            The English and IT initiative will target several groups, i.e the community at large, school leavers seeking employment, employees in positions that require a higher knowledge of Spoken/ Communicative English and IT, and English and IT professionals. Among priority objectives of the initiative are the following:

• To produce more than 50000 youth having job oriented Spoken/Communicatitive English and basic IT skills for potential employment in IT enabled service industries such as call centers and BPOs within 03 years.
• To install the infrastructure within, and enhance the capacity of, the mainstream school system to ensure that school leavers throughout the country, at either ‘O’ level or ‘A’ level, will possess job oriented spoken / Communicative English skills and basic IT skills demanded by the job market.

An initial batch of 40 English teachers selected from all provinces has been trained as Master Trainers of Spoken/ Communicative English at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) of Hyderabad with the assistance of the Government of India. They are now being deployed to disseminate their knowledge among other English teachers. Plans are also underway to establish a Center for English language Training (CELT) at Peradeniya in 2009, and to establish Cities for Excellence in English in English and IT. Jaffna City has now been declared as the first City under this programme. The teaching of Basic English though television will also be launched in 2009.

The Year 2009 and thereon will witness a verity of Programmers under the English and IT initiative with the participation of the Government , the private sector and the general public towards the goal of creating a Knowledge Society in Sri Lanka.

Details of the Issue

Date of Issue: 13^th  February, 2009

Denomination: Rs.5.00

Designer: Ruwan Upasena

Stamp Size: 30mm. x 41mm.

Format: Vertical

Printing Process: Offset Lithography

Sheet Composition: 100 stamps per sheet

Perforations: 14 ½ x 13

Printers: Department of Government Printings, Sri Lanka

Colours:  4 process Colours

Paper: 102 gsm. Security Stamp Paper

Gum:  PVA

Quantity Printed: 500000