Secondary School, pre-school open in Thattuvankotti

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 March 2006, 21:03 GMT]
Ceremonial opening of a pre-school and a secondary school, constructed with financial assistance of German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) of the German Federal Government, took place in the ex-garrison town of Thaduvankoddy near Elephant Pass Wednesday, sources said. Mr. Sivakurunathan, Social Development officer at the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), presided the event.

Mr. Karadpapu, Northern Regional Director of GTZ, declared open the school complex by ceremonially cutting the ribbon.

Government officials and representatives of NGOs, and students participated in the event.

Mr. K. P. Regi, TRO Executive Director, declared open the Nirmalan pre-school by cutting the ribbon.

Mr. Kurukularajah. Zonal Director of Education, Kilinochchi participated as Chief Guest and other officials addressed the function.

The school buildings mark a major milestone in the development of the village and indicates that life in the ex-garrison villages are returing to normalcy, TRO officials responsible for the village development said.

Families from the garrison towns fled as Sri Lanka army advanced from village to village since 1996. fled the Sri Lanka army’s advance from village to village since 1996. Elephant Pass Govt. Tamil Mixed School (GTMS), Paranthan GTMS, Paranthan Hindu Mahaviththiyalayam, Umaiyaalpuram GTMS and the Thattuvankoddi GTMS were occupied by the military inside the SLA's sprawling Paranthan Elephant Pass base until May 2000 when the Liberation Tigers overran the strategic gateway to the northern Jaffna peninsula.

Residents began resettling after the garrison was captured by the Liberation Tigers in 2000.