国内英语资讯:Feature: China gifts well-equipped school building to remote Sri Lankan village_时事

国内英语资讯:Feature: China gifts well-equipped school building to remote Sri Lankan village

The Tissapura Junior School is one of three government schools in the Weerawila area, 20 km from the port of Hambantota. The school was founded in 1986. Currently it has about 300 students and 24 teachers. The school had been in disrepair for a long time. Some classrooms had been eroded by termites, wooden roofs had collapsed, and students of different grades had to share the same classroom.

Improving the conditions in the school became Principal Weerakeerthi's main goal. Help came from the China Merchants Group involved in the running of the Hambantota port.

“The Chinese company agreed to help us build a two-story teaching building with facilities to improve the educational environment,” Weerakeerthi said.

But the principal was suddenly stricken by cancer and his condition deteriorated rapidly. In order to ensure the progress of the project, Weerakerthi had to come back to work quickly. He modified his medical treatment to suit the task he had undertaken.

"I could not opt out of the project as the teachers and students of the whole school were looking forward to the teaching building as much as I myself did,” Weerakeerthi said.

After about a month of medical treatment, he returned to the school to supervise the construction.

"I promised my Chinese friends that I will definitely return to complete the project. I was determined to bring benefits to the children of the school and also the villagers of the area. It is this spirit that helped me overcome the disease," Weerakeerthi said.