Incentives for public sector employees of Sri Lanka to learn an additional local language

The Sri Lankan government has decided to give an incentive to state sector employees to learn an additional local language.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne has said that the government expects the Sinhalese speaking public sector employees to learn Tamil and vice versa.

Jayaratne has been quoted in the local media saying that most of the problems faced by the country today could have been solved if everyone knew an additional language.

He has noted that the government employees knowing an additional language will make the government service more efficient as an important part of the current development process.

According to Jayaratne, since taking over office, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had provided the state sector employees with necessary facilities and the employees therefore are working closely with the state.