The Sri Lankan International School, Jeddah (SLISJ) held the Awards Day for the academic year 2010/2011 of on May 4 under the auspices of the Consul General of Sri Lanka, Dr. Adam Bawa Uthumalebbe, as the chief guest, flanked by his wife Dr. Sithy Jubeida. The occasion also was graced by the chairpersons and members of the previous Board of Management; Mr. Raashid Al-Harbi, Saudi Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the School; President of Sri Lanka Expatriates Society Dr. Rafeek and its committee members; past pupils; parents; teachers and students. The founder and current chairman and advisor to the Board of Management, Shahul Hameed Salih, who delivered the welcome note said, “Teaching, to impart knowledge to all children here in general irrespective of whatever nationality and religion they belong to, is the core mission of SLISJ realized by emphasizing on the importance to quality teaching and learning. The SLISJ Awards Day is another vital leap forward to promote quality teaching.” “I humbly request all students to focus on ‘Learn to Learn', the best gift one could present parents,” he added. He also thanked Majaziya Mubarak, the school principal, and the dedicated staff for working closely in promoting a quest for excellence in education. He insisted that the positive attitude of teachers towards teaching counts much for the success of the day. He also thanked all the past boards for the unity that has driven this school to the level it has prospered today. A Sinhala drama titled “Andare” and a Tamil song titled “Odi Vilayadu Pappa” by popular Indian poet Bharathiyar followed by a typical Tamil kollatum (a folk dance) were the performances which captured the audience best, as both languages are taught to all the students. “This is the maiden occasion where dramas in Sinhala and Tamil were staged, all credits to the chairman and the principal for this novelty,” said an overjoyed parent. The principal stated, “An Awards Day is the culmination of years of hard work; the realization of objectives in the Action Plan and the acknowledgement of successes achieved. The journey that started with tentative steps has taken to remarkable heights coated by trials and tribulations along the way. The exceptional moments experienced created memories to be fondly remembered in the years ahead.” She thanked the Director of Foreign Schools attached to the Ministry of Education of the Western Region for visiting the school in times of need. The principal, whilst expressing gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the consent to establish a community school 14 years back with 78 Sri Lankan children, also stated that it has multiplied five fold today. The Chief Guest, Consul General of Sri Lanka Dr. Adam Bawa, spoke on the significance of unity and the essential cooperation of parents for the smooth functioning of the school. While congratulating the awardees, he hoped that the standard of education of the school would remain high. The Gold Medal donated by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka for the best results achieved at the IGCSE 2010/2011 was awarded by the diplomat to Madiha Gazzally. All other students who gained good academic achievements at the same examination were honored with a gift voucher. Raashid Al-Harbi distributed the certificates for the awardees who secured first places in General Proficiency. The live debate on “Science and Technology”, led by two students Sabith Shahul Hameed and Kanaka Fernando from the Advanced Level Science class, proved to be very informative. Younger students kept the audience's toes tapping with the peace song “Heal the World”. Two other students presented a colorful performance of a song from the children's animated comedy-adventure movie Rio. The Chairman of the School, Shahul Hameed Salih, was felicitated with a plaque and a certificate by the Consul General in appreciation of his service to the school and the community.
