All Island Dhamma Examinations awards ceremony

The annual prize giving of the Colombo YMBA for the winners of the December 2005 All Island Dhamma Examinations was held at the Colombo YMBA auditorium at Borella on January 27.

Chancellor of the Sri Jayewardenapura University, the Most Venerable Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratne Thera was the Chief Guest. The welcome address was delivered by the President of the Colombo YMBA, Prasanna Goonetilleke.

The Most Venerable Thera in his speech commended the Colombo YMBA for the remarkable contributions made for nearly 80 years by conducting the All Island Dhamma Examinations.

Dhamma classes in Buddhist Temples were initiated by the late Col. Henry S.Olcott, but it was the brain-child of the late Sir D. Baron Jayatilaka, who was instrumental in conducting the All-Island Dhamma Examinations in 1920 with just 374 candidates, he said.

President of the Colombo YMBA, Prasanna Goonetilleke said that for the 2005 December examinations, 722,669 students from 11,250 Dhamma Schools were registered of which 514,953 students from 8240 Dhamma Schools sat the graded examinations.

The Challenge Shield for the Best Dhamma School in the Island in the over 200 students category was awarded to Jayawardenarama B.J.F. Daham Pasala in Colombo by the Most Venerable Bellanwila Thera and the Challenge Shield for the Best Dhamma School in the Island in the under 200 student category was presented to Atala Siri Sumanasara Daham Pasala by Mr. Goonetilleke. Over 400 students.