The Confucius Institute at the University of Kelaniya, in collaboration with the English and Foreign Languages Branch of the Ministry of Education, successfully organized a three-day capacity development program targeting Chinese language teachers from 50 schools across Sri Lanka. These schools offer Chinese as a subject for the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level). The program aimed to enhance the teaching skills and methodologies of participating educators, thereby strengthening Chinese language instruction at the school level.
Held on May 26, 27, and 28, 2025, the training sessions took place at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Sri Lanka. The participating teachers, 99% of whom are graduates of the University of Kelaniya, represented various districts of the country.
A significant contribution to the success of this program came from a team of five esteemed professors and lecturers from Chongqing Normal University, China. These included:
- Professor Zhou Xuexin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Chongqing Normal University
- Professor Mou Yingxue, Dean of the International College of Chinese and Culture
- Associate Professor Mei Qiang, Faculty Member, School of International Chinese Language and Culture
- Mr. Yu Bo, Lecturer, School of International Chinese Language and Culture
- Ms. Yang Chang, Lecturer and Director of the Training and Cultivation Section, School of International Chinese Language and Culture
Their academic expertise and generous financial support played a vital role in the program’s success.
The program was also supported throughout by Dr. Jani Samarakoon and Dr. Wu Hongyuan from the Confucius Institute at the University of Kelaniya, as well as Mr. Dharshana Wijesinghe, Assistant Director of Education at the National Institute of Education (NIE) of Sri Lanka. An opening ceremony was held on the first day, where the professors from Chongqing Normal University were warmly welcomed.
The training covered the following topics:
Day 1: Grammar teaching methods and classroom management in Chinese language teaching
Day 2: Classroom questioning techniques and phonetics teaching methods
Day 3: Literature teaching methods and strategies for teaching Chinese characters
Ven. Senior Prof. Nadalagamuwe Dhammadinna of the Chinese Language Unit, Department of Modern Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, also contributed to the lectures. Interpretation for all sessions was handled by Dr. Jani Samarakoon, ensuring effective communication throughout.
The program received highly positive feedback from all participating teachers. At the closing ceremony, the school teachers presented tokens of appreciation to the professors from Chongqing Normal University, expressing their gratitude.
This program not only enhanced the professional competencies of local Chinese language teachers but also significantly strengthened the academic partnership between Chongqing Normal University and the University of Kelaniya. Furthermore, it contributed to the broader relationship between China and Sri Lanka across education, economy, and diplomacy.
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