Trinco Methodist College holds prize giving

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 21:00 GMT]
One hundred and eighty three years old Trincomalee Methodist Girls College, popularly known as the Vembadi school, held its annual prize giving celebration Thursday with the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs, Mr.S.Thillainadarajah, as the chief guest.

The Chief Guest Mr.Thillainadaraja handing over challenge cup to a student who excelled in studies.

The Methodist Missionaries who came to Sri Lanka in 1814 first established this institution in 1819 at the Methodist Mission house in Trincomalee as an English school.

One of the visions of the Methodist Missionaries was to uplift the educational needs of the people of the country. In 1859, the school was named Methodist Girls' School with boarding facilities, sources said

Upto1949, principals who administered the school were foreigners. Ms Arumainayagam (nee Ms Marimuttu) was the first Sri Lankan principal. The present Principal is Ms. Urohini Jothinathan.

The Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, in his message lauded the Methodist Girls' College for its yeoman service to the community in Trincomalee. "The objective of an educational institution is to produce good and worthy citizens and scholars for the society. Trincomalee Methodist Girls' College has been fulfilling this objective to the best since its inception," said the Prime Minister in his message.

College students sing welcome song, a set of band equipment donated to the school is seen in front.

At the annual prize giving celebration, the guest of honour was Mr.M.K.M.Haniffa, Senior Assistant Secretary of the North East Provincial Ministry of Education.The special guests were Dr (Ms.) R.Shanthini, Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering of Peradeniya University and Mr.K.Thilakaretnam, Trincomalee Zonal Director of Education. Dr.Shanthini is an old girl of Methodist Girls College.

Ms. Urohini Jothinathan, Principal of the college, presented her annual report. The Principal in her report pointed out the urgent need of a modern laboratory for the school

The Chief Guest, Mr. Thillainadarajah, delivering his keynote address at the event recalled his bitter experiences he suffered during 1990 violence in Trincomalee, which destroyed his entire literary works, and also in 1996 at Killinochchi. " I have earned money and other materials destroyed but not my literary works. This is a great loss for me," said Mr. Thillainadarajah who has written several short stories in Tamil.

The chief guest promised that he would take immediate steps to provide a modern laboratory for the school.

The first copy of the college magazine was handed over to the chief guest by the principal.

(L- R)Trincomalee Zonal Director Mr.K.Thilakaretnam, Education Ministry Additional Secretary Mr.S,.Thillainadarajah, Provincial Education Official Mr.M.K.M.Haniffa, Peradeniya University Senior Lecturer Dr(Ms ) R.Shanthini and College Principal Ms Urohini Jothinathan.