News
Be close to your children from early age, President urges parents
View(s):Prize day ceremony at premier Kandy school
Distinguished Trinitians who served the country remembered
By L.B.Senaratne
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday urged parents to play an important role in developing the character of children by fulfilling their responsibility of remaining close to the children after they start schooling. “Parents should be with the child in his achievements, his work and his failures. Parents must find the time and not say that there is no time for them,” the President said.
President Rajapaksa seen with Minister Amunugama and Trinity College Principal. Pic by M.D. Nissanka
He made these observations at the 141st prize giving of Trinity College, Kandy where he was the chief guest. “Trinity produced outstanding individuals whatever their caste, creed or religion was. She produced people like the Mahanayaka Theras. It is the wish that all schools should produce individuals who are devoid of any bias and who would serve the country
Despite the vast changes in the field of education in the country Trinity faced all these situations and kept its high standards, he said. “The President said that it was Lakshman Kadirgamar, a distinguished old boy of the school, who proposed his name to the SLFP Central Committee for nomination as the chairman of the Central Committee. He was a man with a vision and above all a man who was a Sri Lankan,” he said. Looking back at the past the President said he has found that Trinity has done well not only in the field of studies but in moulding minds. He said he knew that Trinity commenced Agriculture as a subject in 1908 and by 1925 had established a school farm.
He said by taking to agriculture, one gets into the community and gets to know the life of the people.
The President said that he believes that a student should not be confined to his studies alone but should venture out into other fields. Trinity has produced sportsmen like Kumar Sangakkara and Duncan White and in the political field persons like Gamini Dissanayake, Lakshman Kadirgarmar, Lakshman Jayakody, Anuruddha Ratwatte and the like, he said.
“There are eleven Trinitians in Parliament, two Governors, a Mayor, Pradeshiya Sabha members and such like. There is no dearth of Trinitians in the political field. In the United Nations, there was Assistant Secretary Jayantha Dhanapala, two Chief Justices Sarath Nanda Silva and Neville Samarakoon and senior Army officers like Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Parami Kulatunge and many more,” he said.
President Rajapaksa said that all these persons did not confine themselves only to their studies but went beyond and that is why they have reached the top while some had sacrificed their life for the country so that others may live. The College Principal Brigadier Udaya Ariyaratne read the report and the vote of thanks was delivered by the Senior Prefect S.Madana.
Inaana wins Kadirgamar gold medal for speech on UN and global environment
The Lakshman Kadirgamar Gold Medal for Oratory, awarded by the Lakshman Kadirgamar Foundation was won by student Inaana Niyas. Inaana Niyas entered Trinity in 1999. The subject on which he spoke and for which he was awarded the Gold Medal was ‘The role of the United Nations in maintaining a global environment.”
He is the son of Dr. S.M.M.Niyas, a consultant surgeon.
Inaana played tennis and was the captain of the tennis team in 2011. He leaves school this year after sitting the Advanced Level examination. The most prestigious award at Trinity – the Ryde Gold Medal for the best all-round student – was awarded to W.S.S.Somasiri.
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus