Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-02-14

Securing the Assistance of the United States Programme of the Peace Corps for the improvement of the English Language Education in Sri Lanka

- The Programme of the Peace Corps of the United States of America was operative in Sri Lanka from time to time from the year 1962 and especially, during the Tsunami disaster which occurred in 2004, it provided significant assistance for the relief activities and as well as for rebuilding efforts. The programme is not operative in Sri Lanka after the year 2006. The United States has decided to re-establish the programme for teaching of English based on a request made by the Government of Sri Lanka.

As such, the assistance of the programme will be provided for the capacity building of the English language teachers of Sri Lanka and action will be taken to place the volunteers in the Secondary Schools, Regional English Support Centres and in the Vocational Training Centres. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Thilak Marapana, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to enter into an Agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of the United States of America in regard to the re-establishment of the Programme of the Peace Corps in Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet.