Room to Read and Colombo Stock Exchange ring the bell on behalf of education

On behalf of the ‘International Day of Education’ which was celebrated on the 24th of January, Room to Read Sri Lanka partnered with the Colombo Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell for trading. Room to Read marks this occasion as it approaches a significant milestone of transforming the lives of 40 million children across the globe through quality education in 2024.

Room to Read is a global nonprofit organization which creates a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. It achieves this goal by helping children in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading through its Literacy Program, and by supporting girls in secondary education with life skills and financial literacy via its Girls’ Education Program, as they build skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions. It collaborates with governments and other partner organizations to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale.

Addressing the gathering, CSE’s Chairman, Dilshan Wirasekara mentioned that “We at CSE, believe that an increase in the level of financial literacy can contribute to the improvement of rationality in investment decision making which will ultimately contribute to the overall development of the economy. The Colombo Stock Exchange Education Academy was formed in this context, to institutionalize financial education in Sri Lanka.”

He went on to say, “We are proud to be one of the key institutions that drive financial education in Sri Lanka. Established in March 2023, CSE Education Academy has undertaken numerous successful initiatives in recent years and aims to continue advancing financial awareness among the general public with special attention to youth so that we may cultivate the minds of tomorrow’s investors.”

Keynote speaker Shevanthi Jayasuriya, Country Director of Room to Read Sri Lanka emphasized on how this year, Room to Read Sri Lanka will focus largely on scale up and system integration with the support of the Ministry of Education, beyond conducting their regular programs in under-resourced communities. Recently, Room to Read Sri Lanka renewed its MOU with the government, to continue their work together with the national and provincial ministries of education, to help children receive quality education.

As of last year, Room to Read has been at the forefront of modifying the existing primary grade curriculum with its Literacy Program, also known as the Reading Development Program in Sri Lanka, introducing the Early Grade Reading Assessment for grades 1, 2, and 3. This initiative aims to enhance literacy skills among young students and create a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

In her speech, Shevanthi also proudly announced the establishment of the National Consortium on Children’s Books in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka. This initiative brings together government and private sector leaders to set national standards for children’s books, ensuring a higher quality of reading materials for primary grade children across the country, while fostering the growth of the local publishing industry by providing essential training for young writers and illustrators.

Room to Read Sri Lanka is excited to expand its scope to the pre-school curriculum which started in 2023. This new venture involves comprehensive training programs for teachers, focusing on instilling a habit of reading in children even before they embark on their formal education.