All island schools' art and essay competition

Submissions are now being accepted for the all island schools' art and essay competition 2005 jointly organised by the Ministry of Education, Department of Social Science of the Open University and Dialog Telekom Limited.

The competition under the theme 'Expressions of the Future' is open for junior and senior categories and all three languages, said Dr. Mahim Mendis of the Open University's Social Science Department.

The prizes include study tours to Britain and Malaysia, computers, digital cameras and gift vouchers, said Dialog Telekom's General Manager Corporate Planning Mothilal de Silva.

"We are trying to reach every school in the country to get the maximum participation," he added.

The theme spurs children to think of the future of the country, and it provides them with an opportunity to create a vision of their own on Sri Lanka, he said.

The closing date for submissions is October 21. Detailed applications have already been dispatched to all schools through the Education Ministry.

The winners of the last year's contest were provided with one-week study to UK where they conducted an exhibition of their paintings at St. James College in London. The project was fully funded and organised by Dialog Telekom.