Graduate trainee officers’ third batch passing out parade today

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A two-week training course for the third batch of 15,596 graduates that the Economic Development Ministry recruited as Development Officers and assigned to Divisional Secretariats countrywide, commenced on 08 May. Selected from 25 districts they are being successfully trained in 16 centres. The passing out parade of the third batch (3,361) will be held today.

The aim of this training course is to give them a basic knowledge of working as facilitators in implementing rural development programs to eradicate poverty by strengthening the family and the village, according to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Inspecting the training camps in the Giritale and Minneriya Economic Development Deputy Minister M.L.A.M. Hisbulla said yesterday that recruiting such a large number of educated young people to the public service simultaneously was not a burden on the State but a great benefit. Therefore it is the duty of both people’s representatives and senior state officials to utilise the services of these new recruits for economic progress, he stressed.

The Economic Development Ministry has made arrangements to hold two-week residential workshops for these graduates undergoing training as Development Officers. The 15,596 graduates – divided into four groups will be trained at 16 centres in four stages. The first stage commenced on 25 March, the second commenced on 18 April and third will be continued till 23 May. 71% of the total number of trainees are women while 29% are men.

Assistance of the armed forces have been obtained to strengthen their personalities so that they can take up challenges when they start working at village level and identify the needs of the rural population. The trainees will be given a comprehensive knowledge of the Divi Neguma National Program at these workshops. Female trainees who become pregnant or fall ill will not need to attend the training until they are back to normal.

The duty of the Development Officers would be to take the lead in eradicating poverty by economically empowering the individual and thereby the family and the village in accordance with the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ Manifesto, concluded Deputy Minister M.L.A.M. Hisbulla.