LANGUAGE RIGHTS ARE AN IMPORTANT ISSUE IN MOST OF THE MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETIES IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD. STATES ENCOUNTER NUMEROUS PROBLEMS IN IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE POLICIES TO RECOGNIZE AND ACCOMMODATE LANGUAGE DIVERSITY. SOME COUNTRIES ARE SUCCESSFULLY PROMOTING EXPLICIT POLICY OF LANGUAGE ASSIMILATION. OTHERS HAVE OPTED FOR LANGUAGE PLURALISM. IN SRI LANKA, THE LANGUAGE ISSUE BECAME AN ISSUE OF PUBLIC DIALOGUE SINCE EARLY 1930S. THOUGH THE HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF SRI LANKA GAVE ACCESS TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE, WITH CHANGING TIMES AND CHANGE IN POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS, DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN THESE AREAS WERE NOT PRIORITIZED. WITH THE GLOBALIZATION THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE PLURALISM HAS PEAKED IN THE COMMERCIAL WORLD THUS MANY CAREER DEVELOPMENT RELY ON THE LANGUAGE ABILITIES OF THE INDIVIDUALS. SINCE THE COUNTRY IS MAKING INITIATIVES TO TRANSFORM ITS DIVIDED PAST INTO A SHARED FUTURE, THE ISSUE OF PROMOTING LANGUAGE PLURALISM REMAIN AS A DECISIVE FACTOR IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING PEACE AND RECONCILIATION. GENERALLY AN INDIVIDUAL’S STANDARD OF ENGLISH DEPENDS ON THE SHARED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, YET THE METHODOLOGIES THAT USE TO EDUCATE A PERSON PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE.
THE FOUNDATION FOR COEXISTENCE HAS REALIZED THE NEED FOR A SPEEDY AND PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LANGUAGE POLICY TO ADVANCE THE PROCESS TOWARDS THE CREATION OF LANGUAGE PLURALISM IN SRI LANKA. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES, FCE WAS ABLE TO COMMENCE AN ACTION PROGRAMME AS THE INITIAL PHASE WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF (I) LANGUAGE AUDIT TO ASSESS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGE POLICY; (II) MOBILIZING A POWERFUL CONCERN CITIZENS GROUP WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF EMINENT PERSONS WITH DIVERSE IDENTITIES TO CONDUCT ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES TO INFLUENCE POLICY MAKERS AND IMPLEMENTERS; (III) ESTABLISHING COLLABORATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES AND NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT; (IV) MOBILIZING CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORKS TO CONDUCT PROMOTIONAL AND ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES AND TO GENERATE PUBLIC AWARENESS IN ORDER FOR CITIZENS TO DEMAND AND CLAIM THEIR LANGUAGE RIGHTS AND (V) CREATING NECESSARY ENVIRONMENT FOR A BROAD BASED PROMOTIONAL AND ADVOCACY INITIATIVES AT THE POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION LEVELS. THE PROMOTIONAL AND ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES OF FCE FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING FOUR AREAS:

(I) LANGUAGE OF GOVERNANCE;
(II) LANGUAGE OF JUDICIARY (IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE);
(III) LANGUAGE OF ADMINISTRATION; AND
(IV) THE LANGUAGE LEARNING IN THE SCHOOLS.

LEARNING FROM THE SHORT PERIOD OF THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTED, FCE HAS CREATED A BROAD BASED STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES INVOLVING ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN A COLLABORATIVE AND INTERACTIVE MANNER TO PROMOTE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OLP AND THE LANGUAGE PLURALISM.
THE CURRENT ACTIVITIES AIMS TO ACHIEVE THE EQUALITY OF STATUS FOR THE BOTH NATIONAL LANGUAGES (SINHALA AND TAMIL) AND TRI LINGUAL LANGUAGE PLURALISM IN THE COUNTRY THROUGH LANGUAGE LEARNING, RESTORING THE RESPECT FOR LANGUAGE RIGHTS OF MINORITIES.
THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE WILL BE A STRATEGIC EXTENSION TO THE CURRENT PROJECT WITH THE ADAPTATION OF TECHNOLOGY TO TEACH ENGLISH FOR YOUTH FROM THE MOST REMOTE AND RURAL SECTORS AS WELL AS THE RESETTLED VILLAGES IN THE NORTHERN PARTS OF SRI LANKA.
DESPITE THE FREE EDUCATION AND THE HIGHER LITERACY LEVELS MANY YOUTH IN SRI LANKA FAIL TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION. RECENT STATISTICS INDICATE THAT MORE THAT 51% OF THE RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN FAIL THEIR GCE ORDINARY LEVEL (O/L). THIS EXAM COVERS BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANGUAGES, MATHEMATICS, SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HEALTH EDUCATION. WITH THESE CIRCUMSTANCES MANY DROP OUT OF SCHOOL AND THEN ENCOUNTER ADDITIONAL DIFFICULTIES IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT. FLUENCY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE HAS BECOME A PREREQUISITE FOR PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS IN SRI LANKA AND LACK OF RESOURCES IN THE SCHOOLS TO TEACH ENGLISH HAS DRIVEN MANY YOUTH IN SEEKING ALTERNATIVES. YET THE STANDARD OF THE MANY TUITION CENTERS THAT PROVIDE ENGLISH IN THE RURAL SECTORS IS RELATIVELY LOW.
THE REASONS ARE COMPELLING AND WELL KNOWN POVERTY, SOCIAL EXCLUSION, SOCIO ECONOMIC GAPS, URBAN – RURAL DISPARITIES AS WELL AS LACK OF FLEXIBLE AND EFFECTIVE MECHANISMS OF EDUCATION THAT ATTRACT STUDENTS AND KEEP THEM INTERESTED AND CONNECTED WITH THE SUBJECTS SO THAT THEY SEE CLEAR BENEFITS OF A PROPER EDUCATION.
THEREFORE IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE REQUIREMENT OF STRONG YET FLEXIBLE EDUCATION MECHANISMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION IN THE RURAL SECTORS AND ESPECIALLY IN THE DISASTER AFFECTED PROVINCES IN SRI LANKA.
WEBEX – A WEB BASED ENVIRONMENT TO SUPPORT ENGLISH LEARNING

WEBEX HTTP://WWW.WEBEX.COM/ INVOLVES A TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBINES THE REAL TIME DESKTOP SHARING WITH WEB OR VIDEO CONFERENCING SO THAT THE RECIPIENTS SEE THE SAME THING WHILE YOU TALK. IT’S FAR MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN EMAILING FILES AND TRYING TO GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE OVER THE PHONE. THIS ELIMINATES THE NEED OF PEOPLE TO TRAVEL AND MEET ON SITE. THIS APPLICATION PROVIDES AN OVERALL E-LEARNING SUITE. THESE APPLICATIONS ARE COST EFFECTIVE AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO REACH LARGER NO OF BENEFICIARIES IN PROVIDING THE SERVICES
THE MAIN INTENTIONS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION WITH USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME USING THE TECHNOLOGY TO EXPAND THE ACCESS TO EDUCATION.

THIS WILL ALSO AIM TO ACHIEVE COHERENT AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSE IN A STRATEGIC MANNER ACROSS ALL KEY AREAS OF ACTIVITY AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS BY MOBILIZING GROUPS AND ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY VIA EMPOWERING THE REMOTE CENTERS.
THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION INCLUDING THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE SCHOOLS, EXISTING ENGLISH TEACHING PRIVATE CENTERS AS WELL AS RELEVANT GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS.
BUILDING CAPACITY OF THE VILLAGE LEVEL PERSONNEL WILL MAINTAIN THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROJECT CONCEPTS FACILITATING GREATER CONTRIBUTION IN DEVELOPING THE EDUCATION LEVELS OF THE RURAL CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
USE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS VIDEO CONFERENCING ACROSS THE ISLAND WILL CREATE NETWORKS WITH MANY COMMUNITIES. THEREFORE CLOSE COLLABORATION OF COMMUNITY CLUSTERS OF DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES WILL ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTE IN DEVELOPING COEXISTENCE AMONG THESE COMMUNITIES.

THE KEY INNOVATIVE IDEA OF THE SUGGESTED PROJECT IS TO USE WEBEX THE WEB BASED TOOL AND VIDEO CONFERENCING TO TEACH ENGLISH TO THE REMOTE AND RURAL MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN SRI LANKA. BEING ONE OF THE DEVELOPING NATIONS IS SOUTH ASIA; TO THIS DATE NO TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTS TO FACILITATE VIDEO CONFERENCING WITHIN THE COUNTRY AND THE INTERNET PENETRATION IS AS LOW AS 3.7%. IMPLEMENTING STRATEGY: INVOLVES - THE CREATION OF A LOW COST FULLY FLEDGED IT MOBILE CENTER THAT CAN GO TO THE REMOTE AREAS OF THE ISLAND IN ESTABLISHING AND EMPOWERING THE YOUTH COMMUNITIES BY INTRODUCING THE TECHNOLOGY TO YOUTH VIA IDENTIFIED GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS AND EXISTING PRIVATE ENGLISH TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. USING WEBEX, A WEB BASED TOOL ENJOYABLE AND INTERACTIVE LEARNING SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR THE LEARNERS.

AS EXPLAINED IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT THERE EXIST VITAL NEED TO PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF QUALITY EDUCATION TO THE UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH IN THE ISLAND. ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT HINDER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE SECTORS IS THE LACK OF ACCESS TO THE EDUCATION FACILITATORS AND THE REQUIREMENT OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF CAPITAL IN ESTABLISHING THE NEW FACILITIES. THE FEAR OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND TECHNOLOGY IS ANOTHER CRITICAL CONCERN THAT SUPPRESSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUTH. THE LOW LEVELS OF ENGLISH KNOWLEDGE LIMIT THE CAREER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COMMERCIAL WORLD AND THIS HAVE RESULTED AN APPROXIMATE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 6% IN THE COUNTRY. MANY OF THESE CHILDREN AND YOUTH ARE NOT CONFIDENT IN THEMSELVES IN LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE SUCH AS ENGLISH AS THEIR ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT SUPPORT IT. MOREOVER THEY SEE NO CLEAR BENEFIT OF LEARNING IT. ADDITIONALLY MANY STUDENTS WHO GET SELECTED FOR THE LOCAL UNIVERSITIES FALL BEHIND THE OTHERS AND REMAIN UNEMPLOYED DUE TO THE LOW LEVEL OF ENGLISH AND IT KNOWLEDGE. THEREFORE BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO THESE STUDENTS WILL LEAD IN FINDING MORE PRODUCTIVE AND APPROPRIATE EMPLOYMENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTORS.
WITH THIS INTRODUCTION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN CONNECTION WITH TECHNOLOGY BECOME AN ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE TO THE BENEFICIARIES THAT WILL DEVELOP INTEREST, ENTHUSIASM AND BUILD CONFIDENCE TO APPROACH THE SUBJECTS

THE FCE’S CURRENT RUNNING LANGUAGE PROJECT ITSELF IS A VERY UNIQUE APPROACH IN SRI LANKA IN ASSURING AND MAINTAINING THE LANGUAGE RIGHTS OF THE TAMIL COMMUNITY. THE SUGGESTED IDEA OF THE EXTENSION OF THIS PROGRAMME TO TEACH ENGLISH TO UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH USING RECENT TECHNOLOGY IS A NOVEL CONCEPT AS THERE IS NO OTHER PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN SRI LANKA USING WEBEX. THE USE OF WEBEX IN AN AREA SUCH AS THIS ITSELF IS UNIQUE TO SRI LANKA AND THE EFFECTIVENESS AND THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WEBEX OFFERS WILL ALLOW THE CAPACITY TO COVER WIDER GEOGRAPHICAL AREA. THOUGH INITIALLY ENGLISH WILL BE USED AS A LINKING LANGUAGE THE SAME METHODOLOGIES WILL BE USED TO TEACH SINHALA TO THE TAMIL COMMUNITY AND TAMIL TO THE SINHALA COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY CONTRIBUTING TO THE NATIONAL INTEGRATION.
AS EXPLAINED IN THE BACKGROUND NOTES MANY ISSUES IN SRI LANKA HAS ARISEN DUE TO LACK OF LANGUAGE DIVERSITY. THEREFORE IN EDUCATING THESE YOUTH IN ALL THREE LANGUAGES WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT THEM IN THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENTS BUT ALSO SHALL CONTRIBUTE IN NATIONAL INTEGRATION