The Military Communication Skills Project Evaluation
an evaluative consultancy
Figure 1 - trainer and students, SLMA
Report commissioner:
the Military Communication Skills Project Steering Committee
Liaison and project management:
Marion Hughes, MCSP Project Manager, British Council Sri Lanka
Hamzi Haniff, Assistant Manager, Programme Delivery, British Council Sri Lanka
Report preparation:
Dr Christopher Tribble, King's College, London University
www.ctribble.co.uk
Colombo / London 26 October – 17 December 2007
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 1
Executive Summary
This evaluation was commissioned by the Steering Committee of the Military Communication Skills
Project and, following a desk review of project documents, was carried out between 28 October and 7
November 2007.
The evaluation responded to a very detailed terms of reference which include the major question,:
Was the project and the subsequent activities based on a well thought out and credible
Theory of Change?
The Desk Review of project documents revealed inconsistencies in the Terms of Reference and the
original project design, and these are commented on in Appendix 2 (pps 34 - 37). However, it was
also clear from the review that the project's theory of change was sufficient and appropriate, and the
evaluation itself has been able to fully respond to the initial ToR.
Following an outline of the research approach and research methods, (pps 5), the Findings section of
the report discusses three broad areas.

In the first part (pps 6 - 10), Progress to Date is reviewed, and it is concluded that the project has
delivered outputs that are appropriate to the needs of major stakeholders and which contribute to
the project purpose, but that these outputs are, as yet, not sustainable.

Section 6: Findings: output delivery to date (pps 11 - 22) discusses the outputs in detail and
concludes that considerable progress has been made in updating the methodology for teaching
English, and there there is considerable potential for improving the teaching of Tamil for the
armed forces, but that without the Joint Services 3 month English Course and the Joint Services
50 hour Basic Tamil materials, the project will not bring about the institutional changes that are
needed if it is to have sustainable outcomes.

Section 7: Findings: three narratives (pps 22 - 25) provides a view of the project's impact from
the perspective of the instructors and trainees in military training institutions, and reviews the
impact (actual and potential) of the project in the area of peacebuilding. It concludes:
"Each of these changes is leading to the achievement of the project's stated purpose:
To improve the quality of language & communication skills for military forces in Sri Lanka
If one accepts the project's theory of change, then the MCSP is making a contribution to peace
building." (page 25)
The report concludes with a set of recommendations, the most important of which are:
Recommendation 3: funding
To ensure continuity in planning to meet these major tasks, it will greatly assist the project team to a)
implement the final stages of the project and b) put in place a coherent closure plan if:

funding for the project is maintained until at least August 2009. Without such funding the
sustainable outcomes of the project will be in serious jeopardy.

and, if possible, funding can be provided for a final year so that the new materials can be fully
embedded in the system. As there will be little need for further investment in resources by this
stage, it should be possible for the final year to operate on a lower budget compared with 200809.
Recommendation 5: future training capacity
Given the long term needs of the Sri Lankan military for communication and language skills training,
there is a very strong argument for the development of a BA programme in either Language Teaching
(for both English and Tamil), or, perhaps more interestingly, the establishment of a BA or BsC
programme in Education with opportunities for specialisation in Languages or in other aspects of
training (including technical and military subjects). Such a programme could provide the basis for a
future Sri Lankan Education Corps  a great lack at the moment. By developing this capacity in KDU,
the long term training needs of the Sri Lankan military could be greatly enhanced. Although it goes
beyond the remit of this evaluation to make a formal recommendation in this area, I would like to
suggest that the Steering Committee actively investigates possibilities in this area as a means of
ensuring the long term sustainability of the benefits that have arisen through the MCSP.
Page 2
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Table of contents
Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 2
1.
List of acronyms used in this report ...................................................................................... 4
2.
Report overview ....................................................................................................................... 4
PREPARATORY ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3.
Evaluation approach and research design............................................................................ 5
3.1
Overall approach ........................................................................................................................ 5
3.2
Visual documentation ................................................................................................................. 5
3.3
Evaluation schedule ................................................................................................................... 6
FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................................... 6
4.
4.1
4.2
5.
5.1
5.2
5.3
6.
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
Findings: Desk Review ............................................................................................................ 6
Revision of the research questions used in the evaluation........................................................ 6
Interim conclusion: how adequate is the project's theory of change? ....................................... 7
Findings: The Military Communication Skills Project  progress to date ......................... 8
The relevance of the project to local context ............................................................................. 8
Project time line and major milestones ...................................................................................... 8
Interim conclusions  progress to date .................................................................................... 10
Findings: output delivery to date ......................................................................................... 11
Research questions ................................................................................................................. 11
Appropriate English and Tamil language training materials .................................................... 11
English...................................................................................................................................... 11
Stage 2 ..................................................................................................................................... 12
6.4.1
6.4.2
6.4.3
6.4.4
6.5
International standards of teaching and learning of both Tamil and English ........................... 14
6.5.1
6.5.2
6.6
English ............................................................................................................................................... 14
Tamil .................................................................................................................................................. 15
Methodology enhancement ...................................................................................................... 15
6.6.1
6.6.2
6.7
English ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Tamil .................................................................................................................................................. 20
Sustainable and effective language training systems. ............................................................. 20
6.7.1
6.7.2
6.8
6.9
7.
7.1
English ............................................................................................................................................... 20
Tamil .................................................................................................................................................. 21
Answers to research questions 5, 6, 7, 8 ................................................................................. 21
Interim conclusions  output delivery to date ........................................................................... 22
Findings: three narratives ..................................................................................................... 22
Narrative one  the instructors ................................................................................................. 23
7.1.1
7.1.2
7.1.3
professional development .................................................................................................................. 23
resources ........................................................................................................................................... 23
future roles ......................................................................................................................................... 23
Narrative two  the trainees ..................................................................................................... 24
7.2
7.2.1
7.2.2
7.3
7.4
8.
The English language programme ..................................................................................................... 12
Human rights and peacebuilding ........................................................................................................ 12
Tamil .................................................................................................................................................. 13
Interim conclusion: output delivery  appropriate English and Tamil language training materials ...... 14
English ............................................................................................................................................... 24
Tamil .................................................................................................................................................. 24
Narrative three  communication skills and peace building in Sri Lanka ................................. 25
Answering the research questions ........................................................................................... 25
A final comment  the question of project funding ............................................................ 27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................... 27
9.
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... 27
10.
Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 28
11.
References .............................................................................................................................. 29
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 3
APPENDICES ....................................................................................................................................... 31
1.
Appendix: Original terms of reference for the MCSP project............................................ 31
2.
2.1
2.2
Appendix: Comment on the terms of reference ................................................................. 34
Initial Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 34
The problem with projects: language issues and project theories ........................................... 34
2.2.1
Clarifying terms  objectives .............................................................................................................. 35
2.2.2
Clarifying terms  goal, purpose, output............................................................................................. 35
2.3
Interim conclusion: how adequate is the project's theory of change? ..................................... 37
3.
Appendix: Military Communication Skills Project  Stakeholders ................................... 39
4.
Appendix: Learning Support Centres  current status ...................................................... 40
5.
Appendix: Learning Support Centres (LSC)  current status ........................................... 43
6.
Appendix: Tamil syllabus ...................................................................................................... 44
7.
Appendices: Print Cost Estimate (2007) – add 20% inflation for 2009 ............................. 45
8.
Appendices: Interview notes summary ............................................................................... 45
9.
List of meeting notes ............................................................................................................. 46
10.
List of observations ............................................................................................................... 46
1.
List of acronyms used in this report
ELT
GCPP
ICELT
ICT
KDA
KDU
MCSP
SCOPP
SLAF
SLMA
TKT
ToR
2.
English language teaching
Global Conflict Prevention Pool
In-service Certificate in English Language Teaching
Information and Communication Technology
Kotelawela Defence Academy (now University)
Kotelawela Defence University
Military Communication Skills Project
Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process
Sri Lankan Air Force
Sri Lanka Military Academy
Teaching Knowledge Test
Terms of Reference
Report overview
This report has the following structure:

In the first section: PREPARATORY, I outline the research approach adopted for this evaluation.
This section is followed by:

FINDINGS (page 6). Here readers will find three main sets of findings:
-
Findings: Desk Review (page 6),
Findings: output delivery to date (page 11), and
Findings: three narratives (page 22). In this last section, impact is considered from the
perspectives of instructors and trainees, and in terms of long term peacebuilding.

A final section  Acknowledgements and Recommendations (page 27) summarises the main
conclusions and recommendations which arise from the evaluation. This is followed be a set of:

Appendices (page 30 and following) which includes a detailed comment on the terms of
reference, and notes from all meetings and observations carried out during the evaluation.
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 4
PREPARATORY
3.
Evaluation approach and research design
3.1
Overall approach
Given the short time available for the study, and the logistical challenges involved in visiting the
different establishments, I agreed with the project manager that we would focus on the limited set of
stakeholders described above, and use three research strategies:

document review  to assess the relevance of the project design to project proposals and reports,
documentation (including curricula, materials, and resources).

semi-structured interviews  to identify the extent to which different stakeholder interests have
been met, and to build narrative accounts of what has worked for whom, in what circumstances,
the three core questions in a realistic evaluation approach.

observation  to gain an insight into the extent to which those who have been trained through the
project have been able to change behaviour as a result of their participation in the project, and the
extent to which students perceive that the way they are being trained in their current courses
differs from their earlier language learning experience.
In the process of building the evaluation at least three potentially valuable narratives have emerged:
Narrative 1: the instructors
Narrative 2: the participants
Narrative 3: communication skills and peace building in Sri Lanka
We will draw on these narratives in looking at the impact the project has achieved so far.
3.2
Visual documentation
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Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 5
Figure 2 - trainees, KDU
Alongside the interview and observation strategy outlined above, it was also agreed that I would
provide a visual documentation of teaching and learning in the military training establishments. This
documentation provides a further insight into the conditions in these institutions and of the
achievements of the project. It is also a unique account of how things are, and can be, in language
training for the Sri Lankan armed forces and will constitute valuable baseline date against which
future progress can be assessed. Examples from the image archive in this documentation have been
used to illustrate this report.
3.3
Evaluation schedule
Following a document review undertaken in the UK, an evaluation schedule was agreed which has
made it possible to meet with all major stakeholders. During the process we have conducted 24
interviews and to carried out 5 lesson observations in the main training centres for the Navy, Air
Force, and Army, and in Kotelawela Defence University.
The schedule for the evaluation is given below:
27 October
28 October
29 October
30 October
31 October
I November
2 November
3 November
4 November
5 November
6 November
7 November
Arrive
Briefing meeting with British Council Director
Travel to Habarana
Naval and Maritime College
SLAF China Bay
Return to Colombo
British High Commission
SL Army Headquarters
SL Navy Headquarters
SL Air Force Headquarters
SL Air Force Ekala
National Languages' Commission
Kotelawala Defence University
Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies
Tamil Instructors
Tamil language consultant
Leave for Bandarawela
SL Military Academy
SL Air Force Diyatalawa
Return from Bandarawela
Asia Foundation
SCOPP
FINDINGS
4.
Findings: Desk Review
The main tasks which had to be carried out in the desk review were the clarification of some
inconsistencies in the language of the Terms of Reference and in the project documentation that had
been provided for the desk review process, and the development of a response to the first ToR
research question: How adequate is the project's theory of change?
4.1
Revision of the research questions used in the evaluation
An extensive review of the project documentation was carried out before the field visit (the full
discussion can be found in Appendix 2). The first result of the desk review was a revision of the
research questions set out in the ToR. The questions I have responded to in this review now read:
Criteria
Relevance
Research questions
1) Was the project and the subsequent activities based on a well thought out and
credible Theory of Change?
2) Are the project outputs relevant to the project’s stated goal and purpose?
3) How has the project adapted over time to changes in the external context? To
what extent have internal planning, monitoring and evaluation processes
contributed to this?
4) How has it contributed to meeting GCPP Sri Lanka Strategy targets?
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MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Impact
Sustainability
4.2
5) Were the project main outputs produced?
6) Given the project goal and purpose, how better might project outputs have been
formulated?
7) What hidden agendas if any may have driven project activities?
8) How well have resources and activities been converted into outputs?
9) What positive or negative impacts which are attributable to project activities can
be detected at this stage?
10) How conflict-sensitive has British Council’s engagement been?
11) How is British Council perceived in Sri Lanka?
12) How probable is it that long term benefits produced by the project will continue
into the future?
Interim conclusion: how adequate is the project's theory of change?
It was necessary to review critically all project documents in order to respond to this question (again,
see Appendix 2). The original project document1 makes a strong case for a project to improve
communication skills in English for the Sri Lankan military. It argues that at a higher level, the project
-
-
… will contribute (my emphasis) to the UK government's policy in relation to Sri Lanka “to
strengthen incentives for lasting reconciliation, including through creating an environment
conducive to reconciliation”
that key elements in this reform process are Defence, Judicial and Access to Justice
that English language skills are central to this process as they are:
 the medium of instruction in military training
 needed to improve professionalism of the forces
 a potential link between different communities in the long term
 and essential for interoperability in peace support operations
This original position is strengthened when the current priorities of the UK Government's Global
Conflict Prevention Pool for Sri Lanka are taken into account2. Steve Ainsworth, Global Conflict
Prevention Pool Advisor at the British High Commission summarised these as being:
1. A greater commitment to negotiated peace;
2. Improved safety and security in communities and adherence to human rights;
3. A governance reform agenda in key institutions, particularly the security services, to
strengthen underlying conditions for a lasting peace; and
4. A strengthened civil society more effective in peace building. (my emphasis)
The original project focus on English has a clear relation to Priority Area 3, and as the evaluation has
developed (see sections 6.2 and following) it has also become clear that improving the curriculum,
testing and instruction in basic Tamil has the potential to make a major contribution to Priority Area 2.
In the same way that The Language Exchange Programme in Guatemala and Belize is enhancing the
capacity of opposing factions to communicate with one another, the MCSP project is now beginning to
have an impact on the capacity of the Sri Lankan armed forces (and in the future, the police) to
communicate in critical military / civilian interactions.
The principle that communication skills are a necessary component in increasing the capacity of the
armed forces seems to me to be reasonable. The way in which the integration of former Warsaw
Pact countries into NATO has been facilitated through the Peace Keeping English Project is well
documented3. The weakness in the current statement of the project's theory of change is that it
appears to be far too ambitious. Documentation for the 2007-2010 project states that the project's
goal is:
To develop an environment within which long term peace and reconciliation can be effectively
pursued and contribute to peace building in Sri Lanka
However, a more reasonable aspiration would be:
1
Proposal for a Military Communication Skills Project in Sri Lanka (SL MilComSkill proposal 12Jun04.doc)
see:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=106215789592
3 (accessed 9 November 2007)
3 see: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-elt-pep.htm (accessed 9 November 2007)
2
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Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
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To contribute to the development of an environment within which long term peace and
reconciliation can be effectively pursued and contribute to peace building in Sri Lanka
My recommendation is that such a wording is used in future project documentation, and future
evaluations. The research questions which can then be asked can include one which asks:

to what extent the project has enhanced the communication training skills capacity for the armed
forces, and

to what extent this has:
-
5.
improved the effectiveness of the armed forces as modern agencies for peace-building and
peace-keeping
improved military / civilian communication with the Tamil speaking minority in all areas of the
island
Findings: The Military Communication Skills Project  progress to date
In this section I respond to the ToR research questions:
Relevance
5.1
2) Are the project outputs relevant to the project’s stated goal and purpose?
3) How has the project adapted over time to changes in the external context? To
what extent have internal planning, monitoring and evaluation processes
contributed to this?
The relevance of the project to local context
Although Sri Lanka now has two official languages, Sinhala and Tamil, with English as an official "link"
language, most members of the Sinhala military have very low levels of knowledge of both English
and Tamil. In the area of English language communication the key issues for the military are:

all armed forces depend on English as the primary language for officer training

the Air Force and Navy also depend on English for command and control

all armed forces (again, especially the Air Force and the Navy) depend on English for advanced
technical training, international liaison (including in the air and on the sea) and for international
cooperation.

the armed forces – and in particular the army  have to compete for the best school leavers, and
many new officer recruits have much lower levels of command of English than before as the
parents of 18 year olds with good "O" and "A" levels prefer their children to take other options.
(see appendices: 20071029b_SLAF_ChinaBay.doc, 20071029a_GI_Navy.doc and
20071031_Army_HQ.doc)
The lack of capacity in the Tamil language has had a major negative impact on military / civilian
communication in Tamil majority areas and throughout Sri Lanka as military staff from all services are
responsible for checkpoints and security across the island  for example, the Sri Lankan Air Force is
responsible for security in the Colombo area (see appendices: 20071102_CHA.doc).
The Military Communication Skills Project (MCSP) began as a response to this need amongst
members of the armed forces for enhanced English and basic Tamil skills. To date, the project has
focused on developing the English language skills of officer recruits in all armed services, and on the
communication skills of recruits from other ranks in the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF), and latterly, the
Sri Lankan Navy. This early emphasis was essential, as without establishing credibility in an area for
which the UK has an established reputation for expertise (English language teaching) it would have
been impossible to engage with the Sri Lankan military training authorities on the matter of Tamil
instruction. In the third year of the project it was possible to begin discussions on the military's needs
in Tamil instruction, and a new curriculum and training materials are now under development, with a
Tamil trainer training programme planned for a new and final phase in the project.
5.2
Project time line and major milestones
Major project achievements in the first two phases are summarised below. It is clear that the most of
the work done so far has been focused on building English Language teaching capacity in the four
military training establishments that are responsible for initial training of officers and technical recruits
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MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
entering the armed forces. It has been considered to be neither feasible nor appropriate to extend the
project's reach significantly beyond these institutions. Preliminary work on instruction in Tamil began
in 2006 and is on-going.
2004
2005
2006
2007
September 2004
PHASE 1
English is taught to
officer cadets in all
three services
Basic levels of
equipment in place, but
inappropriate materials
and lack of educational
technologies and
knowledge in using
these.
Project starts 1
September
Visits to main
institutions
Initial Teacher training
workshops for
instructors from all 4
training centres
New teaching materials
selected as interim
resources for use during
Phase 1 of the project
-
Educational Technology
resources provided
Preliminary work
completed on Learning
Resource Centre
establishment
Further teacher training
Further materials in
place
September 2005
Teacher training
ongoing
Teaching Knowledge
Test (TKT) courses
started
Syllabus revision and
extension materials
development
ICT training
-
TKT courses completed
(28 successful trainees)
SLMA Learning
Support Centre opens
(LSC) / Trinco / China
Bay / KDA
Preliminary research
with Asia Foundation re
Tamil language training
September 2006
PHASE 2
Research in Tamil
training provision and
needs undertaken in
Military Training
Establishment
In-Service Certificate in
English Language
Teaching (ICELT) starts
with 22 participants
-
First workshops with
Tamil Instructors
On-going teacher
training (ICELT)
September 2007
Syllabus development
for the new 3 month
Military English Course
book
3 ICELT candidates
complete Module 1 (with
2 distinctions and Merit),
9 candidates now
completing
book development for a
basic Tamil course for
the military (with
potential to extend to
the police)
It is also clear that the project has changed its emphasis over time and has been able to take on a
broader scope as trust has been established between the project team and senior staff in the three
armed forces.
The project documentation shows the transition as the detailed outputs have been extended to
include Tamil and to increase the reach of the project. They also demonstrate how monitoring and
evaluation processes have made it possible to review the unrealistic 2006-07 outputs and to
transform these into the much more realistic 2007-2010 set. In setting out the outputs for the first two
phases of the project, I include the original set, and an interpretation of these in terms of the tighter
goods and services definition discussed above

2004-2006 Outputs
Original
- a bank of quality language learning
materials for English:
- a network of trained teachers
- a learning support centre in a strategic
location
- Security forces staff competent in use of
English for access to education and
training and for linking to the international
community, with awareness of skills
required for peace building issues.

Adapted
- a bank of quality language learning
materials for English:
- a network of trained teachers
- a learning support centre in a strategic
location
2006-07 Outputs
Original
- An overall language and communication
training plan for the military from
recruitment to retirement
- Two more Learning Support Centres in
the Sir John Kotalawala Defence
Academy (KDA) Ratmalana, and the
Army ( due to become Joint in 2007)
Staff College at Batalanda
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Adapted
- An overall language and communication
training plan for the military from
recruitment to retirement
- Two more Learning Support Centres in
the Sir John Kotalawala Defence
Academy (KDA) Ratmalana, and the
Army (due to become Joint in 2007) Staff
College at Batalanda
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-
-
-
-
-
-

A team of Tamil language instructors in
the police and the military provided with
suitable support
A bank of modern course materials
including material on human rights and
peace building, including materials to
support the learning of Tamil
a CD Rom of ten modules of English
materials for intensive courses
developed with KDA for use in all training
establishments
Advice for other agencies on how to use
their resources effectively to build the
capacity of the police (and other forces)
to develop communication training in
Tamil, train instructors, introduce
contemporary materials (including those
related to conflict resolution and human
rights) and methods (including
independent learning approaches).
Course instructors in the military trained
in English and trained in using modern
teaching techniques and equipment
Military personnel trained in use of
English for access to education & training
and for linking to the international
community, with an awareness of the
skills required for peace building issues
-
-
-
-
A team of Tamil language instructors in
the police and the military provided with
suitable support
A bank of modern course materials
including material on human rights and
peace building, including materials to
support the learning of Tamil
a CD Rom of ten modules of English
materials for intensive courses
developed with KDA for use in all training
establishments
A team of course instructors in the
military trained in English and trained in
using modern teaching techniques and
equipment
2007-10 Outputs
-
-
-
Beginner level package of Tamil students’ book, self-study workbook, teachers’ book and
listening CD for a 45 hour course
A team of teacher trainers in the military to train Tamil instructors
Group of highly trained English instructors capable of taking on trainer training, teacher
training and the provision of English courses for specific groups beyond the life of the current
project
An English course book suitable for intensive courses in the military to be produced for Sri
Lanka. The package would include a Students’ book of 150 hours, a Teachers’ book, CD and
workbook. This would go with the material already produced at KDA to form a complete
English course for the military.
Language Training Centre at KDA to cover the English training needs of all three services,
including teacher training for new English instructors
5.3
Interim conclusions  progress to date
2)
Are the project outputs relevant to the project’s stated goal and purpose?
Yes. Given the nature of the project's theory of change, the need to ensure the acceptability of a UK
intervention in a sensitive area by the Sri Lankan authorities, and the expertise of the UK agency
tasked with delivering the project, the initial emphasis on English was the right one, and good
progress has been made in delivering relevant outputs. Although there has not been an explicit
human rights / peacebuilding content to the programme to date, there is significant potential for a
focus on these areas in the new Tamil language programme. As this course will deal explicitly with
military civilian interaction, the emphasis on human rights and the military's peacebuilding role will be
entirely appropriate.
3)
How has the project adapted over time to changes in the external context? To what extent
have internal planning, monitoring and evaluation processes contributed to this?
The project has been successfully adapted over time. Internal monitoring and reporting has ensured
that the team has been aware of where progress has been achieved, and where delays have been
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 10
experienced, and the Project Board has been fully informed of changes in the schedule and new
directions. The new emphasis on Tamil is a sensible extension from the initial project design, and the
decision to create sustainable teaching materials is the correct one to make.
6.
Findings: output delivery to date
6.1
Research questions
In the following sections the research questions given below will be answered:
Effectiveness
Efficiency
5) Were the project main outputs produced?
6) Given the project goal and purpose, how better might project outputs have been
formulated?
7) What hidden agendas if any may have driven project activities?
8) How well have resources and activities been converted into outputs?
Findings are separated into two major sections. In the first, I shall comment on the extent to which
the major outputs to which the project is committed have been delivered. In the second, I will
elaborate the four narratives discussed above: those of the students, the instructors, the training
agencies and how all of this work might contribute to peace building.
6.2
Appropriate English and Tamil language training materials
Figure 3 - training materials, SLMA
6.3

English
Stage 1
A decision was made at the beginning of the project to use published materials as the starting point
for curriculum reform and teacher education. The core materials chosen (following extensive
discussion with the Sri Lankan military instructors are Campaign4 and Cutting Edge5. The Campaign
course has been developed through the UK supported Peace Keeping English Project in which a very
large number of troops in former Warsaw Pact and other countries have been provided with English
language training for military purposes. Cutting Edge is a general adult programme which instructors
and the project manager felt would be an appropriate extension programme for Sri Lankan military
trainees. Alongside these published materials, the project has provided a set of English language
learning computer programs for use in the Learning Support Centres that have been developed as
part of the project.
With these materials in place it has been possible to:
-
4
5
introduce instructors to new teaching methods
enhance the learning experience of instructors
see http://www.macmillanenglish.com/Course.aspx?id=28298 (accessed 9 November 2007)
http://www.pearsonlongman.com/cuttingedge/ (accessed 9 November 2007)
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-
lay the foundation for development of language learning materials which cater specifically for
the needs of the Sri Lankan armed forces.
It was recognised from the outset that these materials would not constitute a sustainable resource.
However, without their use, the project could not have introduced immediate change, and could not
have provided prospective course writers with clear examples of good practice which they could draw
on when developing new instructional materials.
The introduction of these new materials was warmly welcomed by the Air Force, Navy and Joint
Services training institutions. The Sri Lankan Military Academy (SLMA) was not able to follow the
same line as its sister organisations as there was already an agreement with the University of
Saburagama to follow an English Language curriculum set by Professor Rajiva Wijesinghe, and which
was based on books written by Prof. Wijesinghe and by a colleague in the university. After
considerable discussion it was agreed that these teaching materials would be retained and that the
SLMA would allow 50% of the curriculum to be based on the new, international materials.
6.4
Stage 2
6.4.1
The English language programme
A new Joint Forces curriculum for intermediate to upper intermediate learners of English has now
been agreed with instructors from the different training establishments and staff in the Kotelawala
Defence University. This curriculum will have to be realised as a set of teaching materials for use
across all officer training institutions in the 3 month Intensive English Course (although SLMA will
continue to use its existing materials and curriculum until there is a programme review). It is
reasonable to say that without these new training materials, the sustainability of the investment to
date will be seriously compromised. With the materials, it will be possible for the current cohort of
trained instructors to maintain standards, and to induct new colleagues into an agreed and feasible
teaching programme.
It is very important to note that these materials are not yet written. A great deal of planning has,
however, been put in place and there is now:
-
A team of authors with capacity to develop the book
An experienced Sri Lankan production manager
An experienced text book illustrator
Editorial advice and copy editing support from Cambridge University Press, India
A production schedule
A distribution policy
Once initial sections of the book have been authored there will be a piloting phase which will also be
used for initial teacher development, and as more materials become available for use they will provide
the basis for trainer training so that the project team is in a position to ensure the successful
dissemination and use of the books beyond the end of the project. The book itself will be made
available to the Armed Forces on DVD for local printing, with an estimated print cost of around Rs
300. This low unit cost and the ability to have further print runs means that training participants can
be asked to buy their own copy of the book, thereby ensuring long term sustainability. The Teachers'
CD will have the full text of the book, the teachers' guide and the audio files needed for listening
activities.
Writing has now started on the book and there is every reason to expect that the final version will
available by August 2009, with piloting and teacher training taking place during 2008 / 09.
6.4.2
Human rights and peacebuilding
Within the new course it will be possible (through liaison with instructors in International Humanitarian
Law in the military training institutions, and with INGO's such as the Asia Foundation (see
Appendices, 20071107_Asia_Foundation.doc) to include materials which will focus on miltary / civilian
interactions and thereby support peacebuilding agendas
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6.4.3
Tamil
Figure 4 - Tamil teacher & text book author

Current situation
Tamil language is presently delivered through an obligatory 50 hour programme. The general
assessment of current teaching is that it is inappropriate as it focuses largely on the Tamil alphabet
and grammar and offers no realistic basis for developing a competence in spoken Tamil. All major
stakeholders recognise the importance of spoken Tamil in military / civilian interaction (a full analysis
of meeting reports is available as an electronic document - see Meeting notes summary.xls). Typical
comments include:
-
-
We have to understand the Tamil language in order to understand Tamil people and get
information we need from them in military situations. (20071029a_GI_Navy.doc)
Tamil - need to do it in a more organised manner… It is as important as English - many of the
problems could have been avoided if there had been more knowledge of Tamil …
(20071031_Airforce_HQ.doc)
Priorities for a Tamil language programme from a military perspective. / checkpoint /
searching / apprehending a suspect / getting information / asking directions
(20071031_Army_HQ.doc)
As an example of why change is needed, the current approved Tamil curriculum for the Naval and
Maritime Academy is given below:
-
writing vowel sound letters
writing consonant letters
using diacritics
writing mixed letters
pronunciation of the letters
writing Tamil letters to Sinhala letters
reading – our house
reading – our village
reading public notice boards
days
basic numbers (1-100)
personal pronouns
introducing basic spoken words
questions and answers
I make no apology for including the full text of the document here as it clearly indicates the need for
curriculum renewal in Tamil instruction. This situation is compounded by a lack of appropriate,
qualified instructors, the need to use Sinhalese instructors for Tamil in sensitive areas where security
requirements preclude the admission of Tamils to military premises, and the lack of any effective
instructor training.

Next stages
A revised Tamil curriculum has now been agreed with a group of instructors from military
establishments and a consultant (Mr Yogarajah) recommended by the National Languages
Commission. The curriculum that this group has prepared (see Appendix 5) addresses the areas
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which concern military staff  i.e. patrol, checkpoint, search, transit etc, as well as ensuring that
trainees have a minimum grasp of Tamil letters and (through transliteration) are better able to speak
and understand in critical military/civilian interactions.
Course book writing has now begun and sample units are already available. Although the team of
Tamil teachers who have been brought together to undertake this task were initially sceptical about
this (for them) radically new approach, thanks to the excellent advice from Mr Yogarajah and Marion
Hughes, they are now fully committed to the approach. In a group interview (see appendices:
20071103_Tamil_authors.doc) they commented:
-
For the first time we are teaching the spoken language rather than beginning with the
alphabet and grammar
Students find it easier to grasp ideas working this way and are enjoying our classes more
Using Sinhala transliteration is helping students to get the pronunciation right.
Book production will be managed by the same team outlined above, and it is realistic to expect that
the Tamil book will be piloted and available for use by August 2008.
6.4.4
Interim conclusion: output delivery  appropriate English and Tamil language training
materials
The project team has made excellent progress in preparing the ground for the production of locally
authored, topically relevant and affordable teaching materials for both English and Tamil. However,
none of these materials are fully developed, and a great deal of critical teacher and trainer training will
have to be done before the new books will constitute a fully sustainable resource. With sufficient
cooperation from the Armed Forces, the programme to train Tamil teachers could be satisfactorily
completed by August 2009. However, for the English Language course book to be fully embedded in
the military English Language system, it will be advisable for a period of 12 months beyond the
publication date to be available for teacher and trainer training. I would therefore recommend that:

funding for the project is maintained until at least August 2009. Without such funding the
sustainable outcomes of the project will be in serious jeopardy.

If possible, funding should also be provided for a final year of assured funding (to 2010) so that
the new materials can be fully embedded in the system. As there will be little need for further
investment in resources by this stage, it should be possible for the final year to operate on a
slightly reduced budget compared with 2008-09.
6.5
International standards of teaching and learning of both Tamil and English
Figure 5 - trainer, NMA, Trincomalee
A central strand of the project has been to ensure that teaching of English and Tamil more fully meet
the needs of trainees and their organisations.
6.5.1
English
To this end, an early priority has been the professional development of the English language
instructors in military training establishments. This has been achieved through three processes:

a series of teacher development workshops focused on the use of Campaign, Cutting Edge, and
the software suite installed on the Learning Development Centre computers

the preparation of all instructors for the Cambridge Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT), an
internationally recognised professional updating qualification
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
the preparation of a smaller number of experienced instructors for the Cambridge In-service
Certificate in English Language Teaching (ICELT), an advanced language and methodology
course delivered through two modules. Module 1 (now completed by 10 instructors) focuses on
language knowledge. Module 2, so be completed by 6 of the instructor cohort, focuses on
methodology. Those who have completed Module 2 will be in a very strong position to take a
leading role in text book authoring and teacher training.
Given the various starting points of the instructors in the different training institutions (some with no
degree, others with BA, others with post-graduate qualifications in ELT), I am in agreement with the
approach taken in the project. Staff trained through the project are much better placed to provide
appropriate levels of teaching and learning in English and are able to meet international standards.
6.5.2
Tamil
In the case of Tamil, this has been more difficult to achieve. There is no internationally validated
programme for Tamil language instructors, and the project, to date, has had much less contact with
this group. The current plan is to use the new teaching materials for Tamil as a catalyst for change in
Tamil as a second language instruction, and to base future Tamil teacher development programmes
on the introduction and application of the new Tamil Language programme. Although this trainer
training programme will not have the same level of impact as the professional development offered to
English language instructors, it will, nevertheless, constitute a sustainable training and teaching
resource for basic spoken Tamil for the armed forces.
6.6
Methodology enhancement
Figure 6 – Trainees, KDU
Under this section, delivery of the following outputs is reviewed:
-
interactive and democratic classroom approaches
up-to-date materials which are effective for communication training and which raise
awareness of peace building issues;
upgraded teaching & training skills;
The MCSP project design specifies a number of outputs all of which can be seen as contributing to
changes in classroom methodology. For the purposes of this report they will be reported on under the
one heading. Project impact to date will be reviewed for both English and Tamil
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6.6.1
English
Figure 7 - trainees, SLAF China Bay
The teacher training programme put in place through the project has had a dramatic effect on the
instructors capacity to use pair and group work, individualised task based training, and integrate ICT
into language teaching. This has significantly enhanced the English Language instructors' ability to
motivate and support trainees. Four kinds of evidence are available to support this assessment:
comments from the instructors, comments from participants, classroom observation results and the
visual documentation:

Instructor comments
The comments from instructors given below are typical of the reaction of all those met with during the
evaluation. Detailed summaries of these discussions are available in the meeting notes:
-
-

Group work had been part of the process, but now syllabus has encouraged greater
emphasis on interaction between the participants (20071105_SLMA_CO.doc)
Project improved the trainers - we were neglected before because it was assumed that the
instructors had qualifications - but there were no upgrade and training opportunities before.
Now we have had real professional development (20071101_SLAF_Instructors_GI.doc)
Instructors feel that they can give students opportunity to learn so we feel that we are no
longer dictators in the classroom…(20071105_SLMA_GI_ELT.doc)
Trainee comments
Importantly, trainees' comments confirm the positive accounts of their instructors. In a series of group
interviews (carried out without the presence of instructors) trainees reported that they found the
English language training they received in the military training establishments contrasted strongly with
their experiences at school, and was highly valued. Typical comments include:

Here we can study well on our own - but at school teachers just teaching
(20071105_SLMA_GI.doc)
At school we just studied the subject - here we can use the language practically
(20071105_SLMA_GI.doc)
English at school the teachers had good knowledge but it was better at Ekala
(20071105_SLMA_GI_SS_2.doc)
We can extend beyond classroom work with supplementary materials
(20071029a_GI_Navy_T_S.doc)
Visual documentation
The images below demonstrate some of the key features of this transformation.
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Effective group work
Effective use of information technology
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The teacher as facilitator
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Independent study
I fully recognise that the examples given here cannot be taken as typical of every English lesson
taught in military training institutions. They are, however, a very strong indication of what teachers
consider to be good practice and offer a firm basis for the conclusion that the instructors observed are
fully aware of contemporary approaches to language learning and teaching, and are fully able to
implement these approaches.

Observation
During the five observations I was able to carry out during the evaluation (see Appendices) I was
looking for evidence of the following indicators of good practice:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
more than one skill is addressed during the lesson
pair work is used appropriately
group work is used appropriately
the teacher uses English most of the time.
the teacher has adapted the textbook (appropriately).
the teacher uses a variety of focus and types of activities.
the trainees are given an opportunity to “think” rather than “parrot”.
the teacher shows creativity in the use of limited resources.
the trainees are challenged and there is clear learning.
the teacher has planned an effective lesson – evident through actual lesson plan and effective
delivery of the lesson.
Although the classes observed varied in terms of the materials used, the levels of participants, and
the focus of the lesson, there was, without exception, always evidence of good to excellent use of at
least 7 out the 10 indicators listed above. From a wide experience of teacher development processes
world-wide, I take this as a strong indicator of the overall impact of the MCSP to date on the way in
which English is taught in military training institutions.
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6.6.2
Tamil
It is too early to comment on the extent to which the project has had an impact on methodology for
teaching Tamil as a second language. In this area, there will be considerable challenges:
-
the project will have to act through intermediaries, many of whom are not English speakers
many potential Tamil instructors will not have teaching backgrounds or qualifications
many Tamil instructors are not mother tongue speakers for reasons of military security, and
also to ensure that people are not put in harms way (Tamils or Muslims working for the
military can be targeted as collaborators by the LTTE).
Despite these challenges, these are grounds for optimism:
-
The Basic Tamil programme will have a clear, simple teachers guide
the structured programme in spoken communication and the availability of listening materials
will reduce the burden on teachers with limited command of Tamil
the methodological design of the materials will encourage good teaching practices
It will, however, require a fuller evaluation at a later date to assess the extent to which Tamil
instruction in the military has been strengthened through the MCSP.
6.7
Sustainable and effective language training systems.
6.7.1
English
Sustainability is being worked towards in a number of ways: training materials, the Learning Support
Centres, teacher development, institutionalisation

training materials
The most significant sustainability mechanisms will be the sets of locally authored, copyright free Joint
Services English Language and Tamil Language training programmes. These will be available on CD
ROM for local printing, with unit costs in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 300 depending on whether they
are reproduced in colour (see Appendix 7). By selling copies of the book at cost price to trainees, the
MCSP will provide a sustainable mechanism to support the long term delivery of quality English
teaching in military training institutions.

the Learning Support Centres
Alongside the materials, the Learning Support Centres will continue to provide an essential resource
during the remainder of the project, and beyond this if the military are able to maintain a basic level of
funding. At the moment, (see Appendix: Learning Support Centres page 40) the Learning Centres
offer a unique resource to learners and teachers in Sri Lankan military training institutions. The main
limitations to the Centres' capacity to support training are summarised in Appendix: Learning Support
Centres (LSC)  current status (page 43). Key issues are:
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-
-
There are not enough computers in SLMA and Ekala LSCs. They have eight in each place
with double headphones but the class sizes are such that at least four more computers in
each place would be better.
Students should be encouraged to use the LSCs in the evening and in any free time
available. For the most part they do not have much free time so the LSCs are not being used
as Self Access Centres except in the evenings.
Although these limitations have restricted the impact of the LSCs, nevertheless, they continue to give
the project important profile with local and national management, and provide language learners and
teachers with resources that have never been available before in military training institutions.

teacher education
In the long term there will be a need for the creation of a training resource in English language
teaching for military purposes. The English staff in KDU have the potential to be such a resource and
the project manager is now working with this group and the management at KDU to investigate the
possibility of:
-
6.7.2
in-service professional development courses for English language teachers entering the
military
a BA in English language teaching which could form the basis for long term teacher supply
into military training institutions (and also support the training of police and other members of
the security forces)
Tamil
The project team has had to take a slightly different approach to ensuring the sustainability of the
Tamil programme, as the teachers who will be involved will, typically, have a lower level of academic
qualification (or no qualification) as teachers, and the level of the Tamil language course will be very
basic. The approach taken so far is based on ensuring the institutional acceptability of the basic
Tamil for Military / Civilian interaction course through cooperation with the National Languages
Commission (NLC) and its Director Mr Senerath Gunasena. In addition, by including Tamil instructors
from the armed forces as materials writers has been possible to establish a strong sense of
ownership of the course book and the instructional approach. This cooperation includes:
6.8
the use of a specialist consultant (Mr Yogarajah) recommended by NLC to lead the course
writing team
the use of NLC consultancy in the development of the test for the Basic Tamil programme
the publication of the Tamil course on CD ROM for local, low cost printing.
Answers to research questions 5, 6, 7, 8
Before moving to the next interim conclusion, it will be helpful to give brief answers to the research
questions which headed this section
5)
Were the project main outputs produced?
Not yet. An appropriate but unsustainable set of resources has been put in place and has been an
essential catalyst for change. The Learning Support Centres are in place and are highly appreciated,
but they are not a sustainable resource in the long term unless the Sri Lankan military makes a
commitment to their long term funding. Good work has been done on the new Tamil materials
introduced from 2006-2007 and the foundations for the new English 3 month intensive course are in
place, but more time is needed for these to be completed.
6)
Given the project goal and purpose, how better might project outputs have been formulated?
I have already discussed the problems caused by the confusion of categories in early project
documents. However, I feel that the overall statement of outputs is appropriate, and if they are fully
delivered, they have an excellent chance of ensuring that the project's purpose is achieved in a
sustainable manner. The only where there may be a question mark is the issue of the extent to which
explicit peace-building content could have been built into the project thus far. From discussions with
project stakeholders, my conclusion is that it would have been entirely inappropriate to start off
teaching conflict resolution and similar topics in the early stages of the project. As it is, the project is
now well placed through the development of the new 3 month intensive English course and the Basic
Tamil course to ensure that, where relevant, conflict resolution and peace building topics can be
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included in the programme. It is my opinion that this has been the correct way of moving forward in
this area.
7)
What hidden agendas if any may have driven project activities?
None. The only possible hidden agenda has been the need to focus on English before it was possible
to focus on Tamil, but this has not been done in way that causes any risk to the project (quite the
reverse) and has not diverted the project from its core purpose.
8)
How well have resources and activities been converted into outputs?
Very well. The British Council has dramatically added value to the project through its imaginative use
of re-conditioned computers (the project deserves a green star for this!), the use of surplus furniture
from British Council and High Commission sources, and through the negotiation of excellent terms
with the project's software supplier. In all of these areas the project team deserves significant praise.
6.9
Interim conclusions  output delivery to date
Overall, the project has succeeded in delivering appropriate outputs in a timely and well managed
way. I can also add, from my own experience of seeing the team at work with key stakeholders, that
they have:
a) managed the project in a remarkably sensitive and effective way, with the Project Manager and
her assistant being able to negotiate the best possible conditions for the instructors and trainees,
thereby ensuring the enthusiasm and commitment of the whole team, and
b) added significant value to the project by being able to draw on the prestige of the British Council
in Sri Lanka, and the resources of the British Council and the British High Commission when it has
come to obtaining surplus IT resources, furniture, and even paint!
7.
Findings: three narratives
In the following section I shall attempt to answer the following research questions:
Impact
Sustainability
9) What positive or negative impacts which are attributable to project activities can
be detected at this stage?
10) How conflict-sensitive has British Council’s engagement been?
11) How is British Council perceived in Sri Lanka?
12) How probable is it that long term benefits produced by the project will continue
into the future?
In Narratives in social science research (Czarniawska 2004) an approach to dealing with interview
and other qualitative data is outlined which both legitimates and problematises the 'stories' which
each researcher necessarily constructs as they make sense of the data he or she has to confront. In
the following sections, I shall outline three narratives that are drawn from the interviews and
observations which have been carried out during this study. I fully accept that these are subjective
interpretations of the experience that I have had during this evaluation, but I also hold that – because
it is evidence based  this account makes a valid and useful contribution to the evaluation of the
Military Communication Skills Project. Indeed, at this point in the project's development, it is perhaps
the best way of bringing together the different strands of a story which is not yet complete.
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7.1
Narrative one  the instructors
7.1.1
professional development
The English and Tamil instructors constitute a group which is in many way marginalised within the
military structures which employ them. Some of them have volunteer status, some are civilians, none
are career fighting officers, yet they have a pivotal role in the professional development of the officer
cadets and recruits with whom they work. As English instructors they are appointed for their expertise
in English language teaching  but most have only college qualifications in English language, and the
only methodology training that they have had has been for primary or secondary level. As Tamil
instructors, many have only had a 3 month intensive training in Tamil followed by a short and very
restricted general training in instruction (of little value from a language education perspective).
Within MCSP many of the instructors are receiving the first professional development that they have
experienced since qualifying, and some are gaining the opportunity to be materials developers and
trainer trainers. They see this as a significant opportunity.
7.1.2
resources
An additional benefit for the instructors in MCSP is that the English Instructors have been able to start
working with relevant contemporary materials and to learn new skills in the use of Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) in Language education. These new resources have enhanced
both the instructors' and the learners' motivation, and have given the instructors a new status within
their institutions. There are some risks inherent in this process, as the instructors can also be the
focus of jealousy within organisations that are starved of resources, but overall, the benefits outweigh
the risks.
The Tamil instructors as yet have not been able to benefit from new resources, but once the new
Basic Tamil programme is in place, they will be able to provide a more appropriate service to their
students and their professionalism will be more fully recognised.
7.1.3
future roles
If the MCSP stopped in August 2008, the English instructors would be left as guardians of a slowly
depleting asset. Books would deteriorate, ICT resources cease to function, and after a small number
of years, many of the benefits that have been introduced through the project would have been lost. If
the project is able to deliver the sustainable benefits of the new 3 month intensive course they will, in
contrast, be empowered to deliver a coherent, locally relevant and affordable programme for many
years to come. After time (5 to 6 years?) there may be a need to renew the curriculum and up-date
the content of the programme, but the group will have the skills to do this, and the electronic template
of the existing book will have sufficient flexibility to allow updating and re-printing.
The same applies to the Tamil instructors. Leave them as they are, and the majority will be providing
an inappropriate training programme with ineffective methodology to learners who gain little or nothing
from the process. Deliver the project's outputs, and there is a much better chance that learners will be
equipped with the basic skills to begin to establish positive relationships with their Tamil speaking
fellow citizens.
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7.2
Narrative two  the trainees
7.2.1
English
The trainees have very little time in which to achieve a great deal. In English, they are supposed to
gain sufficient grasp of the language to be able to engage in training, international cooperation, and
command and control. In Tamil, after 50 hours of classes, they are supposed to be able to man roadblocks, conduct searches, pass through Tamil speaking areas, arrest and question suspects, and
ensure the security of their own bases.
Before MCSP, the trainees were being taught with outdated materials which had little or no relevance
to their military careers. They had high levels of need, and low levels of satisfaction with the
instruction they received.
MCSP has revolutionised this experience, but it is not enough. Exit performance at the end of the 3
month English training period is still too dependent on the entry levels of the students  you can make
only so much progress in this short period, and students who start from a low base cannot be
expected to gain adequate competence in the target language. Similarly, writing skills, presentation
skills, and other advanced communication cannot be fully developed in the scope of the 3 month
course. In the long term, there will be a need for additional specialist courses to support the growing
communication needs of students in the military. This implies the need for continuing professional
development for trainers, the development of a core trainer training resource (most probably at KDU),
and a qualification pathway to encourage instructors to take part in this training.
7.2.2
Tamil
The story of English students resonates with that of those attempting to learn Tamil  but is amplified
by the urgency of the need, and the inadequacy of the current resources. If your primary need for
Tamil is to be able to survive in an environment which is often hostile but which is also part of your
home country, deal with fellow citizens who might also be your enemy, and ensure the security of your
unit and your colleagues in the face of suicide bombings and conventional attack, you don't want to be
spending the 50 hours that are available for Tamil instruction in learning the alphabet and grammar of
the written language. Yet this has been the core of the Tamil language programme to date.
MCSP has the potential to change this, but it has, as yet, not been able to deliver change as it too
early in the project process.
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Narrative three  communication skills and peace building in Sri Lanka
7.3
The Military Communication Skills Project has, at this moment, made little or no direct contribution to
peace building in Sri Lanka  and that is entirely as it should be. The project's theory of change does
not expect to make sudden and dramatic transformations. Instead, the project is beginning to
produce:
-
instructors with the capacity and the resources to teach varieties of English which are of
professional relevance to their students
instructional materials and resources which are motivating and engaging for learners
cadres of materials developers who will be able to offer alternative learning platforms to future
students
officer cadets with the language skills needed to engage in future studies in areas which will
make a direct contribution to peace building on the island
Each of these changes is leading to the achievement of the project's stated purpose:
To improve the quality of language & communication skills for military forces in Sri Lanka
If one accepts the project's theory of change, then the MCSP is making a contribution to peace
building.
The project has the same potential to do this for basic Tamil, an area where there is even greater
potential for an immediate peace building return on investment, as military / civilian communication is
of such critical importance.
But why the emphasis on English? Although it is possible to accept the long-term potential of
enhanced English language skills in increasing the international engagement of the Sri Lankan
military, and enhancing the awareness of officers of international humanitarian law, wouldn't it have
been better to start off with Tamil? The answer here has to be that this is a British High Commission
initiative, which is implemented by the British Council. Senior staff in the Sri Lankan armed forces
have a very high regard for UK expertise in English language teaching, and a great respect for the
British Council and its teaching centres in Colombo and Kandy. In English language teaching, the
British Council has no equal on the island. However, this is not the case for Tamil, and it would have
been completely inappropriate to have begun an initiative to enhance communication skills training for
the armed forces by attempting to reform the teaching of Tamil in the first instance.
In a one sense, this answers the question of how conflict sensitive the British Council has been in
developing this project. Had it attempted to jump directly to Tamil, alliances would have been
damaged, reputation harmed, and the UK would have been seen as a heavy handed post-colonial
force, attempting to impose solutions on a sovereign state. As it is, having demonstrated competence
and commitment in the area of English language communication skills, the project has been
welcomed as a partner in the urgent task of improving training in Tamil.
7.4
Answering the research questions
The three narratives briefly outlined above, provide clear answers to the research questions posed at
the outset of this review process.
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9)
What positive or negative impacts which are attributable to project activities can be detected
at this stage?
Positive impacts are currently detectable in the areas of methodology, resource upgrade, and the
management of educational processes, as well as in learning outcomes for students. It will take some
time before sustainable transformations are put in place at an institutional level, but the foundations
have been firmly laid.
10)
How conflict-sensitive has British Council’s engagement been?
Very. By offering key stakeholders what they feel they need, the British Council has begun the
process of change which all involved in this project hope can be carried through to completion.
Perhaps the most significant long term change that MCSP will bring about is through the Tamil
programme. This new programme has the potential to make a far-reaching impact on Military /
Civilian interaction, and to do this in a way which meets the conflict resolution imperative of do no
harm. By providing teaching resources and training to Sinhala mother tongue teachers of Tamil, it
will begin to be possible to provide appropriate language training for military personnel in highly
sensitive areas of the country without compromising the personal security of Tamil citizens. I feel that
this is a point which should be stressed when considering the extention of the funding of the MCSP
through to 2010.
11)
How is British Council perceived in Sri Lanka?
Very positively. The project has confirmed the Council's professionalism in language education and
its commitment to the long-term strengthening of Sri Lankan institutions.
12)
How probable is it that long term benefits produced by the project will continue into the future?
At the moment, the benefits that the project has produced are vulnerable. If consolidated during the
next two to three years, it is likely that the benefits will be institutionalised, long term and renewable.
The main benefits and challenges associated with MCSP from the perspective of those interviewed
during the review process are summarised below. This quantification was drawn from the interview
data which is given in the appendices (an Excel Spreadsheet with this analysis is available as an
electronic appendix). To date, the main benefits which interested stakeholders identified were:
professional development
improved student performance
teacher confidence
reaching more students
27
16
4
1
The 27 comments relating to professional development reflect the emphasis of the project so far, and
underscore how appropriate this strategy has been. Stakeholders also reported that they already feel
that this is having an impact on student performance.
The issues which they identified included:
lack of appropriate resources
group size
entry level
recruitment / retention
tamil curriculum
conflicting responsibilities
scheduling
administrative barriers
8
5
4
4
4
3
3
2
Here we can see some of the areas where the impact and sustainability of the project may be
reduced. The first two areas mentioned are likely to be critical over the next two years. With
increased intake into the armed forces, staff on the 3 month training courses in the Airforce and Navy
(where all recruits received English language training) are going to face significant challenges. While
it is well beyond the scope of the project to attempt to fix this problem, it is important that managers
are aware that a mix of increased class size and the increased load on instructors who also have to
carry out military duties, could jeopardise the mid term success of the project.
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An additional challenge will also arise when project funding ends to ensure that the Learning Support
Centres continue to receive support from the Sri Lankan side to maintain technological capacity and
for for learning resources to be renewed.
8.
A final comment  the question of project funding
I have already discussed at length the language issues identified in the project documents which have
framed the MCS Project. In these final comments, I also wish to comment on the way in which a
short funding cycle (basically no assurance of funding beyond one year from the project start) has
restricted the scope of the project manager to work systematically towards long term sustainability. In
the first two years it was possible to train staff and to introduce good practice in language teaching.
However, as there was only a guarantee of funding year-on-year, it was impossible to work on the
development of sustainable resources in this phase. In 2006-07, the one year of assured funding
once again did not provide enough time to create a new 3 month intensive English courses and
develop the Tamil programme. Fortunately the funding has been provided through to August 2008,
but the reality is that, if the overall investment in MCSP is to produce long term institutional change,
the project needs to run until at least 2009. It will be impossible to write, pilot and produce the
essential training materials for Tamil and English in less time, and, even more important, time will still
be needed to train instructors to work with the new materials. Similarly, if trainer training capacity is to
be developed at KDU, there will be a need for funding through until at the very least the end of 2009,
and preferably the end of 2010.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
9.
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my very sincere thanks to the MCSP Project Manager, Marion Hughes, and to
Hamzi Haniff, British Council Assistant Manager, Programme Delivery, for their exceptional
professional and personal support throughout this evaluation process. Their profound knowledge of
the stakeholders and the context have been invaluable, and their attention to detail in managing the
complex processes of this review have been exemplary. I would also like to thank Marion Hughes
(and her husband Jim) for their kind hospitality during the evaluation, and finally, to thank British
Council Director Gill Westaway for her professional interest in the evaluation, and the kind hospitality
she and her partner Nina provided at the end of an exhaustive and, at times, exhausting evaluation
process.
Finally, I would like to thank the Steering Committee for its commitment to the evaluation process, and
the Directors of Training in the institutions that we visited during the review for their cooperation and
kind hospitality at a very busy time for the armed forces of Sri Lanka.
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10.
Recommendations
Recommendation 1: project design
It will be helpful if any final project document for the MCS Project is worded more consistently than
has been the case in the past (see the extensive discussion in Appendix 2 Appendix: Comment on
the terms of reference). I would recommend the following:

GOAL
To contribute to the development of an environment within which long term peace and
reconciliation can be effectively pursued, and contribute to peace building in Sri Lanka.

PURPOSE:
A sustainable and effective language and communication training system for Sri Lankan military
forces

OUTPUTS
-
-
appropriate and sustainable English and Tamil language training materials which address the
communication needs of the Sri Lankan armed forces in their role of ensuring peace and
human rights for all citizens
pre- and in-service training programmes and resources to ensure:

that instructors are able to make effective use of the new training materials in Military
Institutions
 the induction of new staff
Recommendation 2: project evaluation
If this project structure is put in place, an evaluation plan should be put in place which responds to the
following research questions:

To what extent has the project enhanced capacity in communication training skills for the armed
forces?

To what extent has the project:
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-
improved the effectiveness of the armed forces as modern agencies for peace-building and
peace-keeping and
improved the capacity of the military to interact with the Tamil speaking minority in all areas of
the island?
Recommendation 3: funding
To ensure continuity in planning to meet these major tasks, it will greatly assist the project team to a)
implement the final stages of the project and b) put in place a coherent closure plan if:

funding for the project is maintained until at least August 2009. Without such funding the
sustainable outcomes of the project will be in serious jeopardy.

and, if possible, funding can be provided for a final year so that the new materials can be fully
embedded in the system. As there will be little need for further investment in resources by this
stage, it should be possible for the final year to operate on a lower budget compared with 200809.
Recommendation 4: management
Given the growing involvement of MCSP in Tamil Language training, it would be helpful if there could
be a Ministry of Defence representative on the Steering Committee to make possible the participation
of the Kotmalle Tamil Language Training in the development of the Tamil communication skills
programme
Recommendation 5: future training capacity
Given the long term needs of the Sri Lankan military for communication and language skills training,
there is a very strong argument for the development of a BA programme in either Language Teaching
(for both English and Tamil), or, perhaps more interestingly, the establishment of a BA or BsC
programme in Education with opportunities for specialisation in Languages or in other aspects of
training (including technical and military subjects). Such a programme could provide the basis for a
future Sri Lankan Education Corps  a great lack at the moment. By developing this capacity in KDU,
the long term training needs of the Sri Lankan military could be greatly enhanced. Although it goes
beyond the remit of this evaluation to make a formal recommendation in this area, I would like to
suggest that the Steering Committee actively investigates possibilities in this area as a means of
ensuring the long term sustainability of the benefits that have arisen through the MCSP.
Dr Christopher Tribble
London, 11 November 2007
11.
References
Pawson, R. and N.Tilley, (1997) Realistic Evaluation, London: Sage
Czarniawska, B. (2002) Narratives in Social Science Research (Introducing Qualitative Methods
series) London: Sage
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APPENDICES
1.
Appendix: Original terms of reference for the MCSP project
Evaluation of
The Military Communication Skills Project
(supported by The British High Commission)
Background
In June 2004, the British High Commission in Sri Lanka committed to fund a proposed one to two year
Military Communication Skills Project requested by the military and designed by the British Council
(the B.C.). The Military Communication Skills project was planned “to support the defence reform and
peace building components of the security sector transformation programme in Sri Lanka”.
As outlined in the initial Project Proposal, the Military Communication Skills Project was designed as a
one to two-year activity. Consistent with funding requirements under the Global Conflict Prevention
Pool, the British High Commission provided assistance covering two years of the Program. In May
2006, the B.C. submitted a proposal seeking assistance for a third year of the project, consistent with
the initial design. Following detailed negotiations with the British High Commission for support for a
third year of the Military Communication Skills Project was agreed to in August 2006 and funding was
provided in September 2006.
The Military Communication Skills Project
The Goal of the project is:

to assist in the achievement of the UK’s Peace Building Strategy which is to “ support conditions
necessary for a sustainable peace in Sri Lanka”.
The purpose of the project is:

To improve the quality of language and communication skills for military forces in Sri Lanka
through
-
design & development of appropriate English and Tamil language training materials;
promotion of international standards of teaching and learning of both Tamil and English
interactive and democratic classroom approaches;
use of up-to-date materials which are effective for communication training and which raise
awareness of peace building issues;
upgrading of teaching & training skills;
development of sustainable and effective language training systems
The main outputs of the project are:
1
a bank of quality language learning materials:





2
appropriate for specified target groups of security forces;
designed to contemporary standards using modern approaches;
making appropriate use of a range of ICT & education technologies;
using content which raises awareness and develops understanding of key issues such as
human rights and respect for international law;
including materials for follow-up self study.
Six learning support centres in military training establishments acting as:
-
focus for training activity,
resource for development of locally appropriate teaching materials
learning resource for students
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3
Military officers and recruits competent in use of English for access to education &
training and for linking to the international community, with an awareness of the skills required
for peace building issues.
4
A network of trained teachers:
-
with good levels of language and training skills;
able to use a communicative, facilitative and democratic methodology;
equipped with a “survival pack” of teaching material;
able to disseminate awareness of key issues such as human rights and respect for
international law;
with appropriate certification and recognised status.
Project Activities
The project was developed through extensive consultations with military training establishments and
the military Directors of Training. The military training establishments focused on were:










Sir John Kotelawala Defense Academy
Defence Services Staff College, Batalanda
Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa
SLAF Base, Diyatalawa
SLAF Base, China Bay, (Junior Command & Staff College, Combat School,
Management School)
Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee
SLAF Base, Ekala, (Advanced Trade Training School),
SLNS Nipuna, Boossa
SLNS Gemunu, Welisara
SLNS Sheksha, Poonewa
and NCO
Overall objectives of the evaluation
To evaluate British Council’s project according to the criteria and research questions below 6.
Criteria
Relevance
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Impact
Sustainability
6
Research questions
 Was the project and the subsequent activities based on a well
thought out and credible Theory of Change?
 Are the project objectives relevant to the project’s stated goal and
purpose?
 How has the project adapted over time to changes in the external
context? To what extent have internal planning, monitoring and
evaluation processes contributed to this?
 How has it contributed to meeting GCPP Sri Lanka Strategy
targets?
 Were the project objectives achieved?
 Given the project goal and purpose, how better might project
objectives have been formulated?
 What hidden objective(s) if any may have driven project
activities?
 How well have resources been converted into activities/outputs?
 What positive or negative impacts which are attributable to
project activities can be detected at this stage?
 How conflict-sensitive has British Council’s engagement been?
 How is British Council perceived in Sri Lanka?
 How probable is it that long term benefits produced by the project
will continue into the future?
These criteria are based upon those of the OECD-DAC Guidelines for Evaluations but have been elaborated
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Scope of the work
 Initial project briefing and agree Terms of Reference (2hrs)

Familiarisation with project content and background, its goals, aims and objectives from project
documents. Briefing from BC, BHC and steering committee teams plus additional reading (list of
reports attached. (2 days)

Development of more detailed methodology for the evaluation (2 days)

Travel to Colombo for interviews with British Council, BHC, military training staff, project partners,
direct beneficiaries and officials (6 days including travel)

Production of draft report and verbal briefing for to steering committee (2 days),

Distributed to steering committee for comments

Production of final report (2 days)
Total: 14 days
Expected Outcome and Deliverables
At the end of the review the consultants will provide an insightful report which clearly shows the
progress that has been made by the project over the duration of the project. It should highlight the
project’s strengths and successes and also areas of weakness and recommend where greater energy
should be focused in the future. It should provide an objective overview of the successes (or failures)
of the project.
The project steering committee is the client for this evaluation and the consultant reports to them.
Further dissemination of the report is the decision of the Steering Group.
Conduct of the Work
British Council will provide the consultants with relevant guidance, project information and
documentation (including making available all relevant project documentation), and assist in
organising travel and interviews with staff, project partners etc.
Person specification
 Essential

Proven experience in evaluation of similar projects
Desirable
-
Experience knowledge and understanding of Sri Lanka,
English language teaching
Understanding and experience of the military context
Timeline
-
Agree consultants – 30 June 07
First draft available: 30 September 07
Final draft available: 10 October 07
Project management responsibilities
For British Council / Steering Committee, the contact person for issues relating to this ToR will be
Marion Hughes; marion.hughes@britishcouncil.org.
Financing
The consultants will be paid subsistence at British Council rates for each day worked up to a total of
12 days. All evaluation related expenses will be paid for directly or reimbursed by British Council.
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2.
Appendix: Comment on the terms of reference
2.1
Initial Research Questions
The initial Terms of Reference (ToR) for this review set out twelve research questions to which the
evaluation should respond (Figure 8). In this evaluation, I propose to do this within a broader
framework of enquiry, drawing on two main evaluation approaches: scientific realism (Pawson &
Tilley, 1997), and narrative in social research (Czarniawska, 2002).
Before commencing this evaluation report, however, I need to comment on some problems in the
wording of the the ToR, as issues that come up here are also going to be important on later in this
evaluation report.
Given below are the twelve research questions:
Criteria
Relevance
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Impact
Sustainability
Research questions
1) Was the project and the subsequent activities based on a well thought out and
credible Theory of Change?
2) Are the project objectives relevant to the project’s stated goal and purpose?
3) How has the project adapted over time to changes in the external context? To
what extent have internal planning, monitoring and evaluation processes
contributed to this?
4) How has it contributed to meeting GCPP Sri Lanka Strategy targets?
5) Were the project objectives achieved?
6) Given the project goal and purpose, how better might project objectives have
been formulated?
7) What hidden objective(s) if any may have driven project activities?
8) How well have resources been converted into activities/outputs?
9) What positive or negative impacts which are attributable to project activities can
be detected at this stage?
10) How conflict-sensitive has British Council’s engagement been?
11) How is British Council perceived in Sri Lanka?
12) How probable is it that long term benefits produced by the project will continue
into the future?
Figure 8 - research questions
I will deal with the language issues which I consider these questions raise in the following section.
2.2
The problem with projects: language issues and project theories
The first research question that is posed is:
Was the project and the subsequent activities based on a well thought out and credible
Theory of Change?
I am fully in sympathy with this opening question as, along with a significant number of evaluation
practitioners, I view projects as being driven by theories of change, and see evaluation as a theory
testing process7.
The problem I have faced in responding to the ToR for this evaluation and in dealing with the key
project documents is that there is a confusion of terms at the heart of many of the questions in the
Terms of Reference and, also, in the project documentation I have had to deal with. The MCSP is not
alone; this confusion is found in many project designs.
The term which causes the my problem with the ToR is objective. In the MCSP Project design (and
this is a common problem when the Logical framework is used) the issues lie in the ways in which
Goal, Purpose, and Outputs have been used. Simply put, when these words are used almost
interchangeably, as has happened here, you problems arise.
I will, therefore, comment briefly on the issues that have arisen as a result of the ways in which words
have been used inconsistently in the ToR and the Project Proposal, and, having, I hope, established a
clearer understanding of the project's theory of change, and clarified the remaining research
questions, will then begin the report on the MCSP.
7
See Pawson, R (2003) "Nothing as Practical as a Good Theory", Evaluation Vol 9(4):471-490 for an
entertaining account of this position.
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2.2.1
Clarifying terms  objectives
The ToR proposes questions such as:
Are the project objectives relevant to the project’s stated goal and purpose?
What hidden objective(s) if any may have driven project activities?
This is a problem as the word objectrives is not used in any of the project's own documents and it is
also ambiguous as it can refer to:
-
long term strategic plans (which can be mapped on to Goal)
the specific goods or services that are required to achieve a project's purpose (mapping on to
output)
a range of different (and confusing) terms such as project milestones, targets etc.
For the purpose of this review, therefore, I propose to dispense with the word objective. This will
require the re-wording of a number of the research questions in the ToR, but I feel that this will
significantly simplify the evaluation process, and make it easier for decisions to be made regarding
any further funding.
The revised research questions are, therefore:
Criteria
Relevance
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Impact
Sustainability
2.2.2

Research questions
1) Was the project and the subsequent activities based on a well thought out and
credible Theory of Change?
2) Are the project outputs relevant to the project’s stated goal and purpose?
3) How has the project adapted over time to changes in the external context? To
what extent have internal planning, monitoring and evaluation processes
contributed to this?
4) How has it contributed to meeting GCPP Sri Lanka Strategy targets?
5) Were the project main outputs produced?
6) Given the project goal and purpose, how better might project outputs have been
formulated?
7) What hidden agendas if any may have driven project activities?
8) How well have resources and activities been converted into outputs?
9) What positive or negative impacts which are attributable to project activities can
be detected at this stage?
10) How conflict-sensitive has British Council’s engagement been?
11) How is British Council perceived in Sri Lanka?
12) How probable is it that long term benefits produced by the project will continue
into the future?
Clarifying terms  goal, purpose, output
Goal
When the TeamUp consultancy group first developed the Logical Framework for World Bank projects,
goal was used to identify the long term social benefits that a project would bring about. In many
project disciplines, the term outcomes is used 8. In the project documentation for MSCP the stated
goal for the project is:
To develop an environment within which long term peace and reconciliation can be effectively
pursued, and contribute to peace building in Sri Lanka.
This is indeed a long term ambition - and the Objective Verifiable Indicator (I prefer this term to the
highly problematic notion of measurability) given in the original project LogFrame is one that cannot
as yet be systematically considered in this review as it stands:
Military perceived as having the communication skills to promote peace building
In reality, this present evaluation can only be an output to purpose review. It will require a much
longer elapse of time before a meaningful review of the extent to which the MCSP's goal has been
8
see for example the Association for Project Management (www.apm.org.uk) the leading professional
association for project managers in the UK.
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achieved. This has implications for the evaluation, as it some of the research questions in the ToR
are simply not answerable at this stage.

Purpose
In the original TeamUp documentation, in social projects the Purpose is the institutional change which
a project brings about as a result of the delivery of outputs. TeamUp always recommended a single
purpose which could be stated simply and briefly. The MSCP project design which has been
approved by the funding agency, and lived with by all concerned for the last three years includes the
following purpose statement:
To improve the quality of language & communication skills for military forces in Sri Lanka through :
-
design & development of appropriate English language training materials
promotion of international standards of teaching and learning;
interactive and democratic classroom approaches;
use of up-to-date materials which are effective for communication training and which raise
awareness of peace building issues;
upgrading of teaching & training skills;
development of sustainable and effective language training systems.
This is confusing and circular as it is, in fact, a statement of the outputs and quality standards
necessary for the deliver of a purpose which could, more usefully, be summarised as follows:
An enhanced and sustainable capacity in Sri Lankan military training organisations to provide
communication skills training
The original project documentation in fact states the foundations of the project's Theory of Change,
the theory being an If > Then theory of causation:
IF the project delivers
-
appropriate English language training materials
international standards of teaching and learning;
interactive and democratic classroom approaches;
up-to-date materials which are effective for communication training and
which raise awareness of peace building issues;
teacher & trainer training;
THEN it will have created sustainable and effective language training systems.
This is the Output to Purpose theory of change, and it is well within the scope of this evaluation to
identify and assess the extent to which the project has been successful to date.

Outputs
An industry standard definition of outputs is "the goods and services required to deliver planned
benefits".9
We have already seen that the MCSP project summary has stated a set of major outputs in its
purpose statement. In the outputs section we find a restatement of these in the outputs 1 to 3:
Output 1
Output 2
Output 3
Bank of quality language learning materials
Network of trained teachers:
Learning support centre in a strategic location
… though each of these is glossed by what are, in reality, the quality standards which should have
been included in the OVI section of the LogFrame.
Output 4:
9See
APM Body of Knowledge: http://www.apm.org.uk/page.asp?categoryID=5&subCategoryID=169&pageID=0
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Security forces staff competent in use of English for access to education and training and for
linking to the international community, with awareness of skills required for peace building
issues.
… unfortunately takes us all the way back up the snakes and ladders of the LogFrame to the Goal
level, and I do not feel it is appropriate to include this output statement in a review of the extent to
which the project has been efficient. Instead, I will focus on the goods and services delivered through
the project's implementation, and the extent to which these are fit for purpose, and have been
delivered in a cost effective, timely and professionally adequate manner.
The full project theory can now be seen as having the following elements:
IF the project delivers
-
appropriate English language training materials
international standards of teaching and learning;
interactive and democratic classroom approaches;
up-to-date materials which are effective for communication training and
which raise awareness of peace building issues;
teacher & trainer training;
THEN it will have created sustainable and effective language training systems.
IF adequate systems are in place for providing for delivering effective
communication training for the military
THEN there will be an environment within which long term peace and
reconciliation can be effectively pursued, and contribute to peace building in Sri
Lanka.
2.3
Interim conclusion: how adequate is the project's theory of change?
The original project document10 makes a strong case for a project to improve communication skills in
English for the Sri Lankan military. It argues that at a higher level, the project
-
-
… will contribute (my emphasis) to the UK government's policy in relation to Sri Lanka “to
strengthen incentives for lasting reconciliation, including through creating an environment
conducive to reconciliation”
that key elements in this reform process are Defence, Judicial and Access to Justice
that English language skills are central to this process as they are:
 the medium of instruction in military training
 needed to improve professionalism of the forces
 a potential link between different communities in the long term
 and essential for interoperability in peace support operations
This original position is strengthened when the current priorities of the UK Government's Global
Conflict Prevention Pool for Sri Lanka are taken into account 11. Steve Ainsworth, Global Conflict
Prevention Pool Advisor at the British High Commission summarised these as being:
1. A greater commitment to negotiated peace;
2. Improved safety and security in communities and adherence to human rights;
3. A governance reform agenda in key institutions, particularly the security services, to
strengthen underlying conditions for a lasting peace; and
4. A strengthened civil society more effective in peace building.
The original project focus on English has a clear relation to Priority Area 3, and as the evaluation has
developed (see sections 6.2 and following) it has also become clear that improving the curriculum,
testing and instruction in basic Tamil has the potential to make a major contribution to Priority Area 2.
In the same way that The Language Exchange Programme in Guatemala and Belize is enhancing the
10
Proposal for a Military Communication Skills Project in Sri Lanka (SL MilComSkill proposal 12Jun04.doc)
see:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=106215789592
3 (accessed 9 November 2007)
11
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capacity of opposing factions to communicate with one another, the MCSP project is now beginning to
have an impact on the capacity of the Sri Lankan armed forces (and in the future, the police) to
communicate in critical military / civilian interactions.
The principle that communication skills are a necessary component in increasing the capacity of the
armed forces seems to me to be reasonable. The way in which the integration of former Warsaw
Pact countries into NATO has been facilitated through the Peace Keeping English Project is well
documented12. The weakness in the current statement of the project's theory of change is that it far
too sweeping. Documentation for the 2007-2010 project states that the project's goal is:
To develop an environment within which long term peace and reconciliation can be effectively
pursued and contribute to peace building in Sri Lanka
A more reasonable aspiration would be:
To contribute to the development of an environment within which long term peace and
reconciliation can be effectively pursued and contribute to peace building in Sri Lanka
My recommendation is that such a wording is used in future project documentation, and future
evaluations. The research questions which can then be asked can include one which asks:

to what extent the project has enhanced the communication training skills capacity for the armed
forces, and

to what extent this has:
-
12
improved the effectiveness of the armed forces as modern agencies for peace-building and
peace-keeping
improved military / civilian communication with the Tamil speaking minority in all areas of the
island
see: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-elt-pep.htm (accessed 9 November 2007)
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Appendix: Military Communication Skills Project  Stakeholders
3.

PRIMARY - the direct beneficiaries - the people for whom the project is designed (end users of
products and services)
-

SECONDARY - those who are either Funding, Authorising, Doing or Supplying the project
-
-

Officer cadets in Army, Navy and Air Force Academies
Recruits in Air Force and Navy
Junior Staff and Command College (a three month course for officers with 10 years
experience)
Defence Services Command College ( a one year course like a Masters for about 60 officers
with 15 years experience)
Kotelawala Defence University cadets
Military Course instructors in the Army, Navy and Air Force
Military English Instructors; presently 36
Military Tamil Instructors; in contact with 10 but there are more
Commandants and staff of the Military Academies
Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana, near Colombo
Defence Services Command College, Batalanda, near Colombo
Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa
Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee
Air Force Academy, China Bay, Trincomalee
Commanding Officers and staff of training establishments
SLAF Ekala
SLAF Diyatalawa
SL Navy Base Gemunu, Welisara
SL Navy Base Nipuna, Boossa
SL Navy Base Shikasha, Poonewa
The Steering Group Committee
Funding and Authorising: The British High Commission
 Defence Advisor: Col. Anton Gash
 Steve Ainsworth
 Rohan Salgadoe
Authorising: Directors of Training
 Army: Brigadier Kumudu Perera
 Air Force Air Vice Marshal R. A. Dayapala
 Navy Commodore Kithsiri Weerakoon
All based in Colombo in the various Headquarters
The British Council
Doing: Marion Hughes, Project Manager
Hamzi Hannif, Assistant Manager, Programme Delivery
Deputy Director, British Council, Sri Lanka, Duncan Wilson (my line-manager)
Director, British Council, Sri Lanka, Gill Westaway
Commandant of the Sri Lanka Military Academy
Brigadier Janaka Walgama
Kotelawala Defence University:
Director, Defence Services Command College
EXTERNAL - those who neither benefit from or use project products and services, nor are
involved in FADS activities, yet who have an interest in the project.
-
Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence
Peacekeeping English Project Managers
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 39
4.
Appendix: Learning Support Centres  current status
Sri Lanka Military
Academy
Where is it?
Kotelawala Defence
University
Naval and Maritime
Academy,
Trincomalee
SLAF China Bay
SLAF Ekala
In the library
In a classroom
In a designated room
In the library
In a designated room
8
Tensebuster, Grammar
in use, Sky
pronunciation,
reactions, Study Skills
for Success, Road to
IELTS
25 chairs, 8 computer
tables
A very large table
10
Tensebuster, Grammar
in use, Sky
pronunciation,
reactions, Study Skills
for Success, Road to
IELTS
20 chairs, 10 computer
tables
10
Tensebuster, Grammar
in use, Sky
pronunciation,
reactions, Study Skills
for Success, Road to
IELTS
25 chairs, a very large
table, 10 computer
desks, book shelves
10
Tensebuster, Grammar
in use, Sky
pronunciation,
reactions, Study Skills
for Success, Road to
IELTS
25 chairs, 10 computer
desks.
Equipment
Packs of:
Intermediate Cutting
Edge
Intermediate English
File
Breakthrough
Campaign 1
Campaign 2
Grammar and
vocabulary work cards
with keys
Two cassette players
Packs of:
Intermediate Cutting
Edge
Intermediate English
File
Breakthrough
Campaign 1
Campaign 2
Grammar and
vocabulary work cards
with keys
Two cassette players
Packs of:
Intermediate Cutting
Edge
Intermediate English
File
Breakthrough
Campaign 1
Campaign 2
Grammar and
vocabulary work cards
with keys
Two cassette players
Packs of:
Intermediate Cutting
Edge
Intermediate English
File
Breakthrough
Campaign 1
Campaign 2
Grammar and
vocabulary work cards
with keys
Two cassette players
In charge?
Librarian also checked
Head of the English
Technician and
Librarian and
8
Tensebuster, Grammar
in use, Sky
pronunciation,
reactions, Study Skills
for Success, Road to
IELTS
25 chairs, 10 computer
desks, lockable
cupboards, two large
tables
Packs of:
Intermediate Cutting
Edge
Intermediate English
File
Breakthrough
Campaign 1
Campaign 2
Grammar and
vocabulary work cards
with keys
Data Projector
Two cassette players
Technician and
How many
computers?
Software?
Furniture?
Books:
A pack consists of the
Students book, Work
book, and listening
cassettes
*see additional book list
below
Workcards
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 40
by IT Department
Captain Thushara
Gonaduwa
Department
(or Captain Wimansha
Abeywickrama)
checked by IT
Department
Lt Cdr Nirosh Ananda
Software and work
cards integrated into
syllabus?
Attendance Book?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Used for?
Mainly used as part of
the Intensive English
course class but also
available for self access
No
Internet access?
Opening times
Date started on
Yes
checked by IT
Department
Flight Lt Hamza
Yes
Yes
08.00 to 14.00 for
regular classes
Constantly used as part
of the Intensive English
course class but also
available for self access
Yes, on some
computers
08.00 to 14.00 for
regular classes
Self Access 17.30 to
20.00
Self Access 17.30 to
20.00
May 2006
September 2006
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Technician and
checked by IT
Department
Flight Lt Sanjeewa
Yes
Mainly used as part of
the Intensive English
course class
No
08.00 to 14.00 for
regular classes
15.30 to 17.30 special
classes
Self Access 17.30 to
21.00
December 2007
Mainly used as part of
the Intensive English
course class but also
available for self access
No
Mainly used as part of
the Intensive English
course class
08.00 to 14.00 for
regular classes
08.00 to 16.00 for
regular classes
Yes, on one computer
Self Access 17.30 to
21.00
April 2006
April 2006
Page 41
Course books
Campaign 1
Campaign 1
Campaign 1
Campaign 2
Campaign 2
Campaign 2
Cutting Edge Intermediate
Cutting Edge Intermediate
Cutting Edge Intermediate
Cutting Edge Intermediate
Student book 2 copies
Work book 2 copies
Class CD 2 copies
Student book 2 copies
Work book 2 copies
Class CD 1 copy
Student Books 2 copies
Work Book 2 copies
Class CD 1 copy
Student CD 1 copy
Campaign Dictionary of Military Terms
5 copies
Just Listening and Speaking
Just Vocabulary
Just Reading and Writing
3 copies
3 copies
3 copies
New Cutting Edge Intermediate
New Cutting Edge Intermediate
New Cutting Edge Intermediate
New Cutting Edge Intermediate
Student Books 2 copies
Work Books 2 copies
Class CD 1 copy
Student CD 1 copy
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Test Your Listening
2 copies
Recycling Intermediate English
1 copy
Recycling Elementary English
1 copy
Listen Carefully
2 copies
New English File Pre Intermediate
Student’s Book 2 copies
New English File Pre Intermediate
Work Book 2 copies
New English File Pre Intermediate Class CD 1 copy
English File Intermediate
English File Intermediate
English File Intermediate
Student’s Book 2 copies
Work Book 2 copies
Class CD 1 copy
English File 2
English File 2
English File 2
English File 2
Work Book 2 copies
Student Book 2 copies
Class CD 1 copy
Student CD 1 copy
Page 42
5.
Appendix: Learning Support Centres (LSC)  current status

There are not enough computers in SLMA and Ekala LSCs. They have eight in each place with
double headphones but the class sizes are such that at least four more computers in each place
would be better.

The computers are now on the maintenance rota of the IT Departments in each training
establishment and the person in charge has received basic training on maintenance, basic
cleaning of the hardware and installation of the software.

There is a problem with viruses being introduced onto the computers by people using USB keys.
The computers are not linked to the internet so that the virus protection cannot be upgraded. It
would be better to network the computers in each LSC so that they can be protected more
efficiently.

The use of Word and USB keys will be banned in LSC to try and protect the computers.

The LSC has been integrated into class time successfully in all the training establishments.

Registers of use are being kept in SLMA and SLAF China Bay. They should be introduced in the
other LSCs.

Students should be encouraged to use the LSCs in the evening and in any free time available.
For the most part they do not have much free time so the LSCs are not being used as Self Access
Centres except in the evenings.

More work cards are needed in the LSCs.
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 43
6.
Appendix: Tamil syllabus
 a 60 x 45 minutes lesson (45 hour) course for beginner level military personnel
Each Unit would have three lessons:1.
Tamil alphabet – provide wall chart of
alphabet
2. Greetings
What’s your name? My name’s …
3. Numbers 1 – 9
ID card please
What’s your phone number?
4. Class room vocabulary (pen, book, clock,
table, window, )
What’s this? It’s a …
What’s that? It’s a
5. Days of the week (planets)
morning, afternoon, evening, night
breakfast, lunch, dinner
6. Numbers 1-12
Time: What’s the time?
What time do you have breakfast?
7. Provinces in Sri Lanka – Provide Tamil
map of Sri Lanka
Places in Sri Lanka
Where are you from?
Where are you going?
8. Places in a town: hospital, school, post
office, market, bus stop, bank, police station,
Divisional secretary’s office
Where’s the …..?
Directions: north, south, east, west, right, left,
go straight
9. Clothes
Colours
What was he wearing?
10. Vehicles ( three-wheeler, lorry, van, car,
motor bike, bike, bullock cart, ship, fishing
boat, plane, bus, train, police car, ambulance)
guns, bombs
What did you see?
Where did they go?
11. Descriptions
man, woman, child
Adjectives: tall, short, fat, thin, old, young
What did he/she look like?
12,Jobs
What do you do? Where do you work?
(also; unemployed, refugee, retired)
13.Family members
Are you married? Children?
14. Rooms in a House
Furniture
Who’s this? It’s my mother / father / daughter /
son
15. At a Check Point
What’s your name?
Where are you from?
Where are you going?
16. Directing people
Come here / Go there / Wait here / Sit down /
Stand here / Open this / Run / Walk / Get off /
Get on / Get up / Get down
Checking baggage
What’s this?
17. Months of the year
Numbers 1-31
Date of birth Age How old are you?
Numbers 1-100
18. Parts of the body
What’s the matter? I’ve got a sore ….
I’m + feeling
He’s deaf, blind, dumb, mentally ill ( include
hand sign for deaf / dumb in the book)
He can’t hear, walk, see, talk
Help! Emergency! He’s dead / He’s bleeding
19. Food
Fruit and vegetables
sweet, tasty, hot, spicy
In a shop
How much is a ….
Can I have a …
20. Filling in a simple Form
Name ands address
Examples of common forms in Tamil
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 44
7.
Appendices: Print Cost Estimate (2007) – add 20% inflation for 2009
100pages
Colour (CMYK)
Per book
Per book
B/W
Per book
Per book
8.

100GSM Art paper
Rs.
80GSM Bank paper
Rs.
100GSM Art paper
Rs.
80 GSM Bank paper
Rs.

Benefits
27
16
4
1
8
5
4
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1

11
8
6
3
1
Next Steps
materials
INSETT
institutionalisation
extend training
KDU BA ELT
additional resources
logistics
peacekeeping
recruit trainers
5
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
Relevance of English
international comms
internal comms
training
IHR
career
military/civilian
governance

Sustainability
institutionalisation
buy-in
materials
contract
staff
Issues
lack of appropriate resources
group size
entry level
recruitment / retention
tamil curriculum
conflicting responsibilities
scheduling
additional programmes
administrative barriers
lack of professional development
post course
speed of change
turnover of SL managers
UK commitment

3000nos
620,125.00
206.71
573,750.00
191.25
3000nos
387,250.00
129.08
341,750.00
113.92
Appendices: Interview notes summary
professional development
ss performance
teacher confidence
reaching more students

1500nos
442,750.00
295.17
418,625.00
279.08
1500nos
229,875.00
153.25
206,875.00
137.92
7
6
4
3
2
2
1
Relevance of Tamil
military/civilian
community relations
13
2
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 45
9.
List of meeting notes
20071027_Gill_Westaway.doc
20071029a_GI_Navy.doc
20071029a_GI_Navy_T_S.doc
20071029b_SLAF_ChinaBay.doc
20071030_BHC_Steve_Ainsworth.doc
20071031_Airforce_HQ.doc
20071031_Army_HQ.doc
20071031_Navy_HQ.doc
20071101_NLC.doc
20071101_SLAF_C_Instructor.doc
20071101_SLAF_Instructors_GI.doc
20071101_SLAF_Trainees_GI.doc
20071102_CHA.doc
20071102_KDU_GI.doc
20071102_KDU_managers.doc
20071103_BC_designer.doc
20071103_Tamil_authors.doc
20071105_SLAF.doc
20071105_SLMA_CO.doc
20071105_SLMA_GI.doc
20071105_SLMA_GI_ELT.doc
20071105_SLMA_GI_SS_2.doc
20071107_Asia_Foundation.doc
20071107_Peace_Foundation.doc
10.
List of observations
20071029_Navy_Observation record.doc
20071101_SLAF_Observation record.doc
20071102_KDU_observation.doc
20071105_SLMA_01.doc
20071105_SLMA_02.doc
MCSP Evaluation
Dr C Tribble / www.ctribble.co.uk
Page 46