The programme covered the presentation of road safety material and equipment to students, a drama on road safety, a presentation by police officials and distribution of road safety booklets.
CEAT has also recently conducted special events in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya where students from 25 schools from these districts participated in a special presentation.
The CEAT ‘Road Safety for School Children’ community programme engages students, parents and transport providers, principally school van drivers, and is coupled with the donation of traffic management kits comprising of traffic cones, safety jackets, traffic signs and other aids to the traffic squads in each of the schools.
“With the alarming increase of road accidents in the country, road safety education has been identified as the need of the hour and students the main focus,” CEAT Kelani Holdings Managing Director N.C. Venugopal said.
“As a company that manufactures products that contribute to safety on the road, we have adopted the cause of promoting respect for road rules among the younger generation in particular.”
The programme initiated in 2009 is committed to create road and traffic safety awareness at school level in the hope of inculcating adherence to road rules among Sri Lankans.
This initiative has to date covered Colombo and the Southern, Northern, North Western, Central and Eastern regions of the country.
Titled ‘Maga Yana Maga’ these programmes include presentations by senior retired police officers on road safety rules, pedestrian safety and road etiquette, supported by a moral-centred skit enacted by a cast of actors.
Students who participate take an oath to uphold road rules and etiquette in their daily lives.
A total of more than 23,000 students have benefited to date from the series of programmes conducted by the company as part of its ‘CEAT Cares’ portfolio of corporate social responsibility initiatives.
The company has received very positive responses from many principals, parents, students and police officials for the learning provided to the students.
CEAT Kelani conducted its 75th road safety programme at Siraj Maha Vidyalaya – Akkaraipattu, the 50th road safety programme at Trinity College - Kandy and the 25th road safety programme at Royal College – Panadura.
After each educational programme, the school concerned is encouraged to conduct road and pedestrian safety awareness programmes for students with activities such as competitions and exhibitions.
A global tyre brand present in 110 countries and now headquartered in India, CEAT is an acronym that stands for Cavi Electrici Affini Torino, or Electrical cables & Allied Products of Turin, with origins that date back to 1924 in Italy.
A National Business Excellence Award winner in 2010, 2011, and 2012 and a National Quality Award winner in the ‘Manufacturing – Large’ category in 2013, CEAT – Kelani Holdings is a successful Indo – Sri Lanka joint venture between the RPG Group of India and Kelani Tyre – Sri Lanka.
Photo caption:
CEAT Kelani Deputy General Manager - Marketing Shivan Jayasuriya (Right) presents a traffic management kit to the Vice Principal of Mahinda College Galle Mr R.S.N Maddumahewage (Centre), and Mr M. B. A. T. Fernando, officer in charge of traffic.
