Tamil educators honored in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 February 2006, 16:33 GMT]
Mr.E.J.Satkunarajah, former Secretary to the North East Provincial Education Ministry and who rendered valuable service for the development of the science education in the province and Mr.S.Kathirgamathamby, retired Principal of Chenaiyoor Central College in Muttur east who contributed his teaching career for the education development of rural students were honored at an event held Sunday evening at Trincomalee Vikneswara Maha Vidiyalayam. Trincomalee District Student Examination Centre organized the event, sources said.

At the commencement of the event both educationists were taken in a procession to the venue accompanied by Mr.N.Rajanathan, President of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) and the Principal of the school and Mr.Sundaram Divakalala, former Provincial Education Ministry Secretary and currently holds an important position in the North East Educational Development Board.

Mr.S.Aravindan presided. Mr.P. Thavasithan, Secretary of the Trincomalee District Students' Centre made the welcome address.

Mr.Sundaram Divakalala honored Mr.Satkunarajah with golden shawl and awarded him title " Best Physics Teacher". Mr.Rajanathan honored Mr.Kathirgamathamby with golden shawl and presented him with a memento.

Mr.Sundaram Divakalala commended the services of both educationists rendered to the development of science education and education of rural students. He said Mr.Satkunarajah is the best science teacher in the northeast province. Muttur students entered university because of the services rendered by Mr.Kathirgamathamby when he served as the principal of Chenaiyoor Central College.

Born in the year 1931 in Batticaloa Mr.Satkunarajah passed out as a science graduate from the then University of Ceylon in the year 1955. He was appointed the Circuit Education Officer for science education covering the entire northeast province. He was later appointed in the Ministry of Education as the Assistant Director of Education and was put in charge of the Valuation and Monitoring Unit. He assumed duties the Chief Education Officer of the Trincomalee district in the year 181. In 1984 he was promoted to the post of the Director of Education (school supervision in the island). He became the Regional Director Education and posted to Batticaloa district. Mr.Satkunarajah was appointed Secretary of the North East Education Ministry in the 1989. He retired in 1991 and joined the GTZ, a unit of the German Development and Co-operation Ministry, currently holding the position of Consultant monitoring and evaluating the work of education special projects.

He has written several research books on science education and other related subjects.

Mr.S.Kathirgamathamby born in the year 1927in the Muttur town entered the teaching career in 1949 and served in several schools. He was appointed assistant teacher in charge of primary unit in Chenaiyoor Central College and later promoted as Deputy Principal of the school. He assumed duties as the principal in the same school and served in that position till he retired in the year 1982. He has been hailed as an educationist tremendously contributed to the development of education of rural students.

Several students from Chenaiyoor Central College entered university during his period, sources said.