‘Singer Soopa Shasthra’ home science education programme concludes third phase

Chief Guest Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Singer Sri Lanka PLC Sales and Commercial Director Mahesh Wijewardene and Marketing Director Kumar Samarasinghe at the Singer Soopa Shasthra programme

Singer Sri Lanka PLC successfully completed the third phase of the ‘Singer Soopa Shasthra’ programme jointly with the Education Ministry to boost the standard of home science education in schools across the country while also paving the way for school leavers to step into a career in the fast-growing hospitality industry.

Partnering with the Education Ministry, Singer Sri Lanka initiated the Singer Soopa Shasthra programme in 2015 with a focus on supporting the Home Science subject in schools by emphasizing the importance of nutritious home cooking as a vital part of a healthy lifestyle and a happy family in today’s busy world. It provides guidance on how to use modern kitchen appliances to create healthy, tasty meals in less time, thereby empowering the Sri Lankan families to cook right and eat right without losing the traditional values and taste.

Under the third phase of this unique initiative, 150 underprivileged schools representing all provinces were handpicked to receive Singer appliances to boost their home science classes, bringing the total number of schools equipped so far to 450 over the course of the three year period. The equipment handed over is worth approximately Rs.35,000 per school and includes all the appliances required for a complete home science class - rice cooker, tabletop gas cooker, pressure cooker, blender and electric oven.

The third phase of the Singer Soopa Shasthra programme also included the renovation and re-equipment of the home science unit of the National Institute of Education in Maharagama at a cost of approximately Rs.2.5 million. This unit, which was launched in the early 90s and was in need of upgrading, plays a crucial role in the training of home science teachers from around the country. A selection of modern kitchen equipment was handed over thereby making the unit fully-equipped for home science teachers to undergo their training efficiently.

In addition, Home Science Teacher Training workshops were organized across the island for over 2,000 teachers, where they were trained on how to use the latest Singer kitchen appliances for preparing meals that are nutritious, time-saving and are in line with the national curriculum. Students also received hands-on training on modern kitchen appliances at Singer showrooms island-wide.
Expressing the significance of this year’s programme, Singer Sri Lanka Sales and Commercial Director Mahesh Wijewardene stated: “Today is a significant day for Singer Sri Lanka as we have completed the next phase of this long-term project that is focused on uplifting the educational standards of the country while also enriching the lives of children. Having commenced in 2015, we are excited to continue this Soopa Shastra programme for three consecutive years and complete the expanded third phase this year which includes the much needed refurbishing and re-equipment of the Home Science Unit at the National Institute of Education in addition to the distribution of kitchen appliances to 150 schools across the island.”