GOAL completes Al-Jalal School with Minister Ashraff at opening ceremonies

The Sri Lanka Minister of Housing and Common Amenities, Ferial Ismail Ashraff, was the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony of Al-Jalal Viddyalaya school in Sainthamaruthu on June 25th. Students, teachers, and well-wishers of the school gave the minister an enthusiastic welcome on her arrival, followed by a large procession that included GOAL's Country Director, John Wain, and Team Leader, Stefan McEneaney, as well as the Divisional Secretary for Sainthamaruthu, A.L.M. Saleem.The new three-storey school building was constructed by GOAL Ireland and includes a computer room, a laboratory, and an assembly hall. Minister Ashraff declared the school open by unveiling the plaque on the building, while GOAL's Country Director and the school Principal, A.A. Rasool, cut the ribbons for the openings of the computer room and the school laboratory respectively.

Principal Rasool noted that "the cost of the building together with furniture, computers, sporting equipment, and land was around 110 million Rupees". At the meeting after the opening ceremonies, the Principal further explained that Al-Jalal Viddyalaya was established in 1951 as a mixed school and, after the destruction of the December 2004 tsunami, it was functioning as an evening school at Zahira College in Kalmunai. The current student population is 1,026.

The principal, teachers, students, and others gratefully acknowledged the work of GOAL's John Wain and Stefan Mc Eneaney and honoured them with the draping of gold shoals.Above (left to right): Stephen McEneaney (Team leader - GOAL, Ampara), John Wain (Country Director - GOAL), Minster Ferial Asraff, A.A. Rasool (School Principal), and A.L.M. Saleem (Divisional Secretary - Sainthamaruthu)

GOAL from Ireland constructs Schools

The GOAL organisation from Ireland has constructed a new school building for Al-Husain Viddyalaya, Maligaikadu, as part of the INGO's programme of constructing and rehabilitating schools.

The 2004 tsunami not only destroyed the buildings of Al-Husain Viddayalaya but also took the lives of 58 children studying at this school.

The new school building consists of an assembly hall, library, counselling room, computer unit, canteen, staff room, conference hall, sick room, administration office, and classrooms for students from grades one through nine. Including furniture and other equipment, the cost of the project was roughly 45 million ruppes.

GOAL handed over the school to S. Sivapragasam, Divisional Education Officer of the Department of Education, at a function on the school premises where the Divisional Secretary of Karaitivu, S. Ramakrishnan, was also present.
Teachers, students, parents, and well-wishers of the school garlanded and took on a procession John Wain (GOAL Country Director), Jonathan Edgar (GOAL - Dublin), Mark Ford (Schools Programme Coordinator), and Stephen McEneaney (GOAL - Ampara Team Leader).

GOAL has constructed 45 new school buildings and rehabilitated 17 schools in Ampara District, at a cost of 12 million US dollars. GOAL has already handed over 56 schools to the Department of Education and intends to hand over the balance of the schools before the conclusion of their efforts in Sri Lanka in July of this year.

German Friendship Primary School Constructed

The Centre for East Lanka Social Service (CELSS) has completed the German Friendship Primary School at Arasadiththottam, Nintavur, with funds obtained from the HELP Alliance of Germany.

The school was built at a cost of 9 Million rupees and consists of two buildings: a two-story block of classrooms for students learning from grades one through five and an administrative block with the Principal’s Office and adjoining computer unit. The CELSS, which took only three months to complete the construction of the school, organised a function to hand over the keys of the building to the Zonal Director of Education.

A three member German delegation, led by Rita Diop, from Help Alliance attended the function, and the Deputy Minister of Subsidiary Agricultural Crops Development, M.T. Hassen Ali, and Deputy Minister of Scientific Affairs, Faizal Cassim, were also present as guests.

The Deputy Minister for Science and Technology cut the ribbon and ceremoniously declared the school open. Ms. Rita Diop, Chairperson for the function, handed over the keys of the building to the Kalmunai Deputy Director of Zonal Education, Mrs. Anandarajah.

At the end of the ceremony, mementos were awarded to all those who assisted in the construction.