Travels on Reconciliation work 130

This post deals with efforts to promote Vocational Training, and the realization that the Ministry in Colombo had no idea what was going on.

The picture is of the opening of my centre at Oddusuddan.

Increasing irritation

I was travelling abroad for much of June 2014 so there were no journeys within Sri Lanka for Reconciliation meetings. But I did finally get a meeting with the Ministry responsible for Vocational Training. I had spoken to Dullas Allahapperuma about some innovations as he took over the Ministry in 2010 and he had sounded very positive. I put this down to the callousness of his Secretary, who later had to be removed for what I gathered was sexual misconduct. But I realized that Dullas himself, though charming, had little capacity for constructive work.

However, perhaps worn out by the letters I kept sending him, with details of the ground situation and suggestions as to what could be done, he went as far as seemed possible with him, and told his new Secretary, Mr Wijeratne, to arrange a meeting with me of all those involved in training through his Ministry. The letter that precipitated this was as follows, sent after my Eastern visit in May

I have long been concerned about Vocational Training in the North, as we discussed way back in 2010, but I fear that little has been done over the last few years to improve matters. Though I am sure you are constantly given reassurances about progress, this has been minimal.

I was particularly upset today to see that the Vocational Centre in Mullaitivu, which has wonderful new buildings, which doubtless cost a lot of money, currently trains just 92 students, 40 in Sewing, 36 in Masonry and 16 in Computing. In Oddusuddan there is a Training Centre that now has only 16 students for sewing. There are 14 who want to study computing but there is no teacher.

There have been no courses in subjects the people want, such as motor mechanics, electricity, plumbing, welding and carpentry. Meanwhile there are 56 students at the Centre in Oddusuddan I started through my decentralized budget, for Motor Mechanics and Computing and a Beautician course (which I did not think essential, but it seems this was what the youngsters wanted). In Maritimepattu, the Centre I started has Tailoring and Computing. Both Centres are housed in schools, so that no construction costs were involved.

At one Reconciliation meeting the people also mentioned training in dairy products, and this would make a lot of sense when the government is trying, albeit not very systematically, to encourage milk production.

I think there is need of more coherent planning and more effective action, and I hope now that you have a competent Secretary that you will be given accurate information and will be able to remedy the situation. I also feel that it may be worth studying the failure to move in this regard over the last few years, so that government can make the necessary structural adjustments to ensure that what is done is in accordance with the needs and wishes of the people.

At the meeting, on June 16^th, it became clear how ridiculous the situation was, for the various agencies made claims about courses and numbers that were totally wrong. It was clear there was no monitoring from Colombo of what was going on, and they were very happy with claims about enrolments, though on most courses those actually attending were in single figures.