The John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme (ELSP) has evolved over 20 years to empower over 20,900 Sri Lankan youth with English, IT, and soft skills, addressing gaps in education and employability. It is an initiative of John Keells Foundation which is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) entity of the John Keells Group, one of Sri Lanka’s premier conglomerates with a legacy of over 150 years.
Carmeline Jayasuriya, Head of CSR & Senior Assistant Vice President, John Keells Group, Kumudu Munasinghe, Head of Corporate Communications, Group Lead for DE&I & Senior Assistant Vice President, John Keells Group (Project Champion – John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme 2014-2024), and Devanshi Fernando, Manager, John Keells Foundation, share insights into how ELSP is contributing to reduced youth unemployment and poverty, and how its programmes align with national priorities.
How has the ELSP evolved over 2 decades, and what impact has it made on Sri Lankan youth?
Carmeline: ELSP has evolved significantly over its 20-year journey, adapting to the changing needs of our communities. Commencing in 2004 with a two-year Edexcel Diploma, the programme has evolved to encompass a wide range of shorter and customized courses for school children across the Island, as well as select groups such as children with special needs, University students, and entrepreneurs linked to Group businesses. Approximately 1000 scholarships are offered annually. Course content too has been broadened to complement English with IT and career skills as relevant to the target audience.
ELSP has enabled over 20,900 students across the country to improve not only their English language proficiency but also their overall confidence in social interaction and employability. Impact assessments and participant feedback confirm that the programme has opened doors to many from disadvantaged backgrounds. By addressing critical gaps in English, IT and soft skills, ELSP has empowered students to pursue higher education, secure employment, and contribute meaningfully to their families, making a significant impact on youth employment and poverty reduction.
With over 20,900 individuals reached, how does ELSP measure its success in improving educational and career outcomes for students from disadvantaged backgrounds?
Devanshi: Over the past 20 years, John Keells Foundation, together with our long-term implementing partner, Gateway Language Centre, has continuously evaluated and adapted courses under ELSP to enhance their relevance to recipients’ needs. The flagship “English for Teens” programme encompasses a 76-hour curriculum in English, IT, and soft skills with scholars’ progress assessed through written and oral exams. The annual English Days showcase their learnings in both English and IT as well as their confidence levels and creative skills.
We track the progress of our scholars through feedback on how their enhanced English, IT and soft skills enable them to pursue their higher education, career or entrepreneurship goals better. In addition to collecting feedback from the students, JKF also conducts independent impact assessments through third-party organizations to evaluate the programme’s impact and identify areas for improvement.
As the programme adapts to emerging needs, what new initiatives has JKF introduced?
Devanshi: We have introduced diverse programmes and initiatives under the ELSP umbrella. The flagship “English for Teens” programme is continuously adapted to support higher learning and sustainable employment in an increasingly competitive world.
During the pandemic, we facilitated virtual and remote learning and supported students with special needs via the Ratmalana Deaf and Blind School with a customized Speech and Drama programme for the younger students and a Total Immersion Programme for the senior students. The “Cinnamon Youth Empowerment” programme was launched in partnership with Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts to equip youth for careers in the tourism industry, with skills including English, IT and career skills. During COVID-19, JKF launched another customized programme titled “Skill into Progress” (SKIP) to upskill identified supplier groups of John Keells businesses addressing the need to adapt to the new normal. Due to its success, `Keells’ has now adopted this programme to train youth around their business locations.
What role does ELSP play in supporting Sri Lanka’s national priorities over the next decade, and how does it plan to continue empowering youth?
Kumudu: Under its vision of `Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’, one of the CSR pillars of the John Keells Foundation is Education through which we seek to empower the employability and entrepreneurship of youth through access to educational opportunities and resources.
Addressing youth unemployment is a key goal of ELSP. By equipping young people with relevant skills and knowledge, we strive to bridge the gap between education and employment. This not only benefits individual scholars and their families but also contributes to the economic development of Sri Lanka.
By empowering underserved communities and providing them with opportunities to improve their lives through access to quality education and skills development, ELSP helps build a more just and equitable society.
Through investment in the skills development of young people, we seek to build a skilled and motivated workforce that can drive economic growth and innovation, supporting Sri Lanka’s national agenda.