The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka – Mr. Santosh Jha met and interacted with 35 Hindi teachers selected for the upcoming Hindi Teachers’ Training Programme to be held at Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (KHS), Agra. 

This marks the first-ever training programme in India for Hindi teachers from Government schools across Sri Lanka. This training programme is organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of the High Commission of India, Colombo in collaboration with the KHS, Agra.
 A total of 88 schools across Sri Lanka currently offer Hindi as a subject. The Ministry of Education of Government of Sri Lanka has selected Hindi teachers from these government schools to participate in this prestigious training programme aimed at enhancing Hindi language pedagogy and cultural understanding.

 During the interaction, the High Commissioner extended best wishes to the teachers, expressing confidence in their commitment and the valuable role they play in promoting Hindi education in Sri Lanka. He also highlighted the importance of this initiative in strengthening educational and cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka.

The teachers are scheduled to undergo intensive training at KHS, Agra, a premier institution under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, dedicated to the promotion and teaching of Hindi globally. During the training, the institute will organize visits for the teachers to culturally and historically significant cities. This landmark engagement underlines the collaborative spirit of educational development and the growing prominence of Hindi language education in Sri Lanka.

The Government of Japan has granted USD 2.5 million to Sri Lanka to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms under a 3-year project for Promoting Prosecution of Corrupt Practices through the Establishment of Anti-corruption Mechanism.

Japanese ambassador in Sri Lanka – Mr. Akio Isomata and UNDP resident representative in Sri Lanka – Ms. Azusa Kubota, in the presence of Justice Minister – Harshana Nanayakkara, launched ‘The Project for Promoting Prosecution of Corrupt Practices through the Establishment of Anti-Corruption Mechanism’

The three year initiative is supported by the Government of Japan and implemented by the UNDP Sri Lanka, working in close collaboration with the (CIABOC) and the Ministry of Justice.

The project aims to promote transparency, accountability and integrity in governance and business practices through effective and institutionalised preventive mechanisms in the public and investment promotion sectors, strengthen institutions to enhance corruption related investigative processes, improve coordination with stakeholders and ensure quality of prosecutions, empower citizens to effectively mobilise against corruption and enhance social accountability.

The project also seeks to engage and empower youth, children and journalists to actively contribute to the fight against corruption and promote a culture of integrity.

Former Commissioner General Nishantha Weerasingha and two other former officials of the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) have been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

The arrests were made as part of an investigation into vehicles that were illegally registered with the Department of Motor Traffic without receiving proper clearance from Sri Lanka Customs, CIABOC said in a statement.

According to CIABOC, former Commissioner General Nishantha Weerasinghe has been arrested for granting approval to issue a number plate for a jeep.

Additionally, a former Assistant Director of Information Technology at the department and a clerk have also been taken into custody for facilitating the illegal data entry and executing it.

The suspects were produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and were ordered to be remanded until July 08.