Education Ministry, PGIE partner to improve, professionalise English teaching

Friday, 11 May 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Ministry of Education has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Postgraduate Institute of English (PGIE) of the Open University of Sri Lanka. Under the terms of the MoU, the Ministry of Education will sponsor teachers, In-service Advisors (ISAs), Assistant Directors and other relevant officials from the Ministry to improve their professional practice through higher education and training at the PGIE, the premier institute for postgraduate English education in the country.

Teachers selected through this MOU will receive high quality postgraduate education as well as professional development either through three programs offered by PGIE: Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (MA TESL), Master of Arts in Teaching Literature (MA TLSC) and the Postgraduate Diploma in Bilingual Education (PGDip BE). The two MA programs offer a unique blend of theory and practice and have contributed to the professional development of English educators from a wide range of backgrounds.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Bilingual Education is a new initiative of the PGIE that seeks to support the policy of promoting bilingual instruction in the country’s education system. This program will help train a new generation of teachers capable of delivering subject content bilingually in the classroom, supporting the development of students’ mother tongue and English competencies. Building on global research into bilingual education and its manifold benefits, bilingual education will support students to acquire English language competency in an authentic manner and also aims to develop student fluency, competency and confidence in the use of English.

Speaking at the signing Sunil Hettiarachchi, the Secretary to the Ministry of Education noted the importance of professionalising the teaching of English in Sri Lanka. He pointed out that for the first time, the O/L pass rate for English had exceeded 50% and that the only way to ensure that this success is sustained is through continued investment in English teachers from all areas of the country. B.M. Weerasuriya, Director of the English and Foreign Languages Branch of the Ministry of Education also highlighted the importance of partnerships and collaboration such as the MoU with the PGIE as a key facet of the ministry’s strategy to improve English teaching in the country. Dr. Harshana Rambukwella, the Director of the PGIE, expressed his appreciation to Hettiarachchi, as well as the officials at the Ministry of Education in particular for their commitment in investing in English education and professionalising the teaching of English in the country.

The PGIE was established in 2005 and is the only tertiary level institution dedicated to improving and professionalising English teaching and pedagogy in Sri Lanka. Affiliated to the Open University of Sri Lanka, the PGIE offers its courses in a blended learning mode (combining Open and Distance Learning methodology with traditional approaches)to maximise its outreach and flexibility to cover working professionals, school leavers and those located in various parts of the country. For further details about the programmes conducted by the PGIE, please contact the Senior Assistant Registrar via email, [email protected] or via phone 0112825805.