ATPA ACCREDITED TRAINING PROVIDERS’ (PRIVATE SECTOR) ASSOCIATION GEARED TO QUALITY TRAINING THROUGH NVQ

The youth is the live wire of this country. The Tomorrow of our nation is in their hands. The great educator of the youth St. John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco once said “that you are young is enough for me to love you”. Hence it is our duty and our responsibility as responsible citizens of this country to care for the youth and add quality to their valuable lives.

Even today our young people still carry on the negative and pessimistic attitudes towards life and their future. The introduction of NVQ (National Vocational Qualifications) in the field of Vocational and Technical Training provides tools to add quality to the lives of the young and bring hope for a better future.

At present there are 735 private / NGO sector vocational training centres registered under TVEC (Tertiary and Vocational education commission) out of which 60 institutions have acquired accreditation for 109 training courses. These statistics show the interest and the commitment the private sector has in delivering quality training programs to the students. Hence my only wish is that ATPA members may keep up to these high quality standards and lead the young towards a prosperous future. My only dream is that one day some of these students may acquire a degree from the newly opened prestigious UNIVITECH (University of Vocational Technology) of Sri Lanka.

Finally let me thank the government of Sri Lanka in particular the Hon. Piyasena Gamage, the Minister of Vocational and Technical Training and the secretary to the Ministry and the officials, Mr. T. G. Jayasinghe chairman of the TVEC, Dr. T. A. Piyasiri The Director General of the TVEC, the board of Directors of TVEC and Mr. Hector Hemachandra the project Direcory of the Technical Educational Development Project for their hard work in introducing prestigious NVQ frame work into the vocational and Technical education.

Let me also thank the steering committee members of ATPA for their dedicated service in establishing this valuable association which is going renders a valuable service to the whole nation. While I appreciate the present members of ATPA for acquiring the membership, let me invite the rest of the private / NGO sector institutions to join us in order to deliver a quality staff.

What is ATPA?

Accredited Training Providers’ (Private Sector) Association is an association registered under the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 members of which are raining institutes accredited for conducting N V Q level training. The Association was launched with the auspices of T. V. C. under the advice of Dr Piyasiri, Director of T. V. E. C.

The Objectives of the Association are as follows:

• To function as the representative body for the training institutions offering technical training under the national vocational qualification regime and strengthen the process.
• To foster unity and the cooperation among training institutes and associations in the private sector and other related agencies both within and outside Sri Lanka.
• To strive to uphold and continuously improve the quality of technical and vocational education and training in Sri Lanka by assisting organization to achieve and exceed national and international Standards. Also to assist providers of training to obtain national and international recognition thereby enhance their credibility and image.
• To establish, maintain and administer a fund to support the training institutions.
• Assist in the formulation of national policies lobbying with government and non-government agencies and safeguard the common interests of the members and technical and vocational education and training in Sri Lanka.
• To enhance that the students are provided a quality service (instruction, training, career guidance and counseling) by the trainers.
• To strive to create a better social image for technical and vocational education and training and to undertake awareness programs by establishing information desks, organizing exhibition, awareness campaigns etc.
• To create and sustain a culture of continues improvement and innovation and compliance with good practices through monitoring current trends in technical and vocational educational and training market demand, sharing of experience, technology transfer and partnering productivity improvement programs etc;
• To accommodate students of closed institutions to continue their studies in any of the other members institutions elsewhere.

How to become a member of ATPA?

Membership is open for all training institutes accredited by the T. V. E. C and providing NVQ level qualification training in the private sector.

Accredited Training Providers’ (Private Sector) Association

Nipunatha Piyasa (3^rd Floor), 354/2, Alvitigala Road, Colombo 5

Tel.: 011 586 2794, Fax: 011 255 5007

E-Mail: davrod@tvec.gov.lk

Performance extraordinaire

The First Show of the Peace march kicked off on October 1, 2008 in grand style. An audience of almost 10,000 got a chance of being part of a very worthy cause – PEACE. The Sarasit Band from Don Bosco Thailand mesmerized the audience with their elegant, stunning, breathtaking and graceful musical show. It was perhaps the first time for many to witness and also be part of a unique show of this magnitude. Although their repertoire had popular English songs that were played by these amazing kiddos from Thailand, what stole the hearts of everyone in the audience were the Sinhala songs the band played with absolute perfection. Perfection to such extend that it brought tears of joy in the eyes of many. These children from the band are amazing percussionists. Ones should not be surprised if some day some of these kids become the next Mozart, Yanni or Kenny G.

The show started off at about 4.00 PM local time in a unique manner. The crowd was probably expecting just a musical performance by the band, but they were in for a big surprise. The Sarasit Marching band was brought on to stage by the marching bands of many schools, which are located near and around the venue. Together they all marched into the venue and on to the stage with such elegance that one could really feel the vibes of peaceful coexistence.

Apart from the marching, there was a special performance of dance by the dance students of Don Bosco Sri Lanka. These dancers were all girls.

A drum fusion show was also performed by a local group, which probably most in the audience would have seen before but it was definitely very fascinating for the Thai Band children.Prior to the various performances, as a sign of peace and co-existence, prayers were said by the heads of various religions.

The Band was invited by the Honourable President of Sri Lanka, Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse to perform at the Presidential Residence – ‘Temple Trees’ the next day. It was a great honour for the children to perform at ‘Temple Trees’. Eminent personalities, cabinet ministers and distinguished guests were present for this show.

Subsequent to presenting the President with a special memento, which the children had carried all the way from Thailand, by Rev. Fr.Dheparat – Provincial Superior of Don Bosco Thailand, the band marched right on to the stage and conquered hearts. Perhaps it is better to say that the Band Marched straight into the hearts of everyone in the audience. Whichever way one constructs this sentence, the fact of the matter is, the Children of the Sarasit Band Thailand will be remembered in Sri Lanka long after the 14^th of October 2008.

The band will now proceed to the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, to a place called Nochchiyagama in the district of Anuradhapura where they will perform for children who will be brought to the Don Bosco Centre in Nochchiyagama, from the North and East of the island so that those children from the war torn regions can also experience ‘PEACE THROUGH MUSIC’.