My name is Lakmini Wasana and I am a past pupil of The School for the Blind, Ratmalana. I joined the school in grade 3, and continued on up until my G.C.E. Ordinary Level examination. Currently, I am an Assistant Lecturer of the Sinhala and Mass Communication Department at the University of Sri Jayawardenepura.
When speaking about my school, truly it was a place that gave me great strength, especially in regards to my career as an assistant lecturer. Essentially, if my school was not present, I would be absent. After my school career, I pursued a special degree in Sinhala, and graduated in the year 2021 with a first class honours degree. I was also able to win the G.B. Senanayaka Gold Medal, an award given to the student with the highest result. I also receive the opportunity of winning the A.V. Suraweera Gold Medal which is given to the student who obtains the highest results for many subjects including social literature. I credit all these successes to my school!
Post graduation, I began my life in employment in the year 2016 at my school; The School for the Blind, Ratmalana by working as a voluntary teacher. In this way, it was my school that positively affected my career choices as well. I say this as it was the experience I gained as a teacher that motivated me to work towards becoming a lecturer.
At school, apart from my studies, I took part in many other activities such as Drama, Debating and the Public Speaking. I also represented the Eastern and Western Bands as well as the school Choir. Apart from the aesthetic activities, I also took part in sports. I believe that I received many opportunities that sight impaired students who attended tradition schools don’t. They only receive an opportunity to study, but are not afforded the chance to engage in the extra curricular realm due to their sight impairment. However, when I was at school, I received the opportunity to do all those things. Hence, I believe that my life is as successful as it is today because I studied at The School for the Blind from an early age.
If you are a parent with a sight impaired child, or know of someone who does have such a child, I urge you to send them to The School for the Blind, Ratmalana. Rather than enrolling your child in a traditional school, I believe that it would be better to send your child to the Ratmalana because the school employs trained teachers who teach all subjects related to the O/L examination. They have studied the Braille system and know exactly how to teach sight impaired students so that the academic material stays with us. Furthermore, your child would gain the opportunity to learn to live a balanced, well rounded life, allowing you to render your child to the world as a successful human being. As a result, the school will also become a great strength to you!