The original vision of the Serendib program as it was carried out in 1996 by the Peace Corps and the Ministry of Education was to organize the English Camp at a national level
Serendib plans to expand the English Camp in Sri Lanka from its current base in Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, to the Southern, Western, Eastern, Uwa, Northern, Central, North Central, and Northwestern Provinces of the country. The original vision of the program as it was carried out in 1996 by the Peace Corps and the Ministry of Education was to organize the English Camp at a national level. In order to achieve this goal, Serendib requires the cooperation of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Education. We are requesting the release of four English teachers of Serendib’s choosing to serve with government pay as English Camp coordinators for Serendib. These four teachers who have seven years of experience with this program will be able to effectively train other teachers in these above mentioned provinces, thus allowing the program to expand across the entire island.
The Residential English Education Camp provides a unique opportunity for Tamil, Sinhalese, and Muslim children to interact in a peaceful environment. These children work, play, and study together for the duration of the program, and their exposure to one another creates a social setting of multicultural acceptance and ethnic harmony. Traditional schooling in Sri Lanka for some time has segregated these children, and the English Education Camp seeks to integrate them once again in an educational setting.
Serendib’s vision for the expansion of the Residential English Education Camp in Sri Lanka is based on the awareness that English as a link language is pivotal to the peace process in the country. As these Camps grow and take root in the various Provinces throughout the nation, they will become a powerful tool for uplifting communities, and will help to guide Sri Lanka towards a brighter future.
