Friends and family of 19 young Cambridge ESOL candidates assembled at the British Council Hall in Colombo recently, to proudly watch their loved ones walk up the stage and be awarded for their successful achievements.

Assistant Manager ESOL Examinations Kishali Mendis lights the oil lamp while Country Director Tony Reilly OBE looks on.

British Council Country Director Tony Reilly OBE awards a happy student her well-deserved plaque

It was the second time that the British Council Sri Lanka had ever held a Cambridge ESOL Awards Ceremony. The Chief Guest at the event was the British Council Sri Lanka Country Director Tony Reilly OBE, while Consultant Panchalika Kulatunga, represented Cambridge ESOL.

The candidates were awarded glistening plaques for their achievements and 30 Preparation Course Provider institutes were recognised for their commitment and support in helping a record number of candidates to register for the exams.

Kishore Roy, Country Exams Manager of British Council Sri Lanka reflected on the awards ceremony, by saying: "We are very happy to have held the British Council Cambridge ESOL Award Ceremony once again. We know these qualifications are helping people in their careers in a variety of ways. It has been a tremendous success and we hope to make this an annual event to recognise the achievements of Cambridge ESOL examination candidates and Preparation Course Providers".

The event ended with a Teacher-Training workshop on Teacher Support Online Resources, which was conducted by Dr. Lesley Dick, a Senior Training Consultant at British Council; after which the CESOL Star partnership scheme for preparation course providers was also launched.

ESOL Achievers 2010 Achievers

Certificate in Advanced English June 2010 session
Sewwandi Darshika Rathnasekara, W Dewage Rashmi Himashi Pemasiri,
Certificate of Proficiency in English June 2010 session
Erandin Dakshitha Jayasooriya,
Certificate in Advanced English December 2010 session
Abeysinghe Weerakoon Nilantha Gomes
Certificate of Proficiency in English December 2010 session
Amila Sanjeewa Sri Abeywickrema,
High Achievers
First Certificate in English June 2010
Nandula Asel Karunasingha, Gajasinghage Maria Sachini T De Silva, Hasun Geeshawa Kodituwakku, Morapitiya Hewa Chandika Johann Ariyaratne, Sampathawaduge Anne Imasha Silva, Mukadange Giyantha Binu Amaratunga, Kasun Chamindu Withana,
First Certificate in English December 2010
P Ruchira Dulanga Wijenayake, Anandarajah Lukshayan, A K Anjali Samurdika Korala, Nethmie Devmini Chandrarathna, Mathindri Sheranga Jaysuriya, Sachini Hasanka Kumari Wickramanayaka

Certificate in Advanced English June 2010, Dinusha Himashika Weerawardane