Sabaragamuwa University was the first university to commence the academic activities with Eastern University being the second. Eastern University was about to commence the academic activities related to this course some two months ago but this got delayed due to the trade union actions of university academics. The identification of the diverse group of students by the two universities was itself a positive factor for successful course delivery. Group work was conducted and all students actively participated demonstrating keen interest.

One of the participating government officers remarked, “The discussion study method made us more interested in participating in class as the discussion was on practical issues and problems we faced in office and field which was very helpful to us to apply the theories.”

Another government official said, “This course provides us with a good platform to share our official experiences since we were able to meet other government officers who work in different  institutions. This is so practical and it not only helps us to solve problems relevant to  people we serve but also problems faced by our fellow officers.”

The student feedback on study structure gives a good sign that the course has identified an effective way by which the course content may be delivered to the government officers. The six month advanced certificate course is aimed at enhancing the quality of government services to make sure each citizen gets an equal opportunity to access government services. Two more universities, Jaffna and Ruhuna, will commence the certificate course in the near future.