Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Training School

Since 1st October 1951, out of the three sections of the SLEME Regiment one of the sections was vocational school. In the past for the development of knowledge of Craftsman and to hold professional oriented examinations EME Vocational School and the Vocational Examination Centre were shifted from the army premises to Parsons road, Regimental Centre premises where the transport section was located.

After that, the EME Vocational School and a section of the Vocational Examination Centre were taken to the place where the Defense Service School was located and, on 2nd September 1991 it was installed at Gannoruwa, a land with a historical back ground, facing Mahaweli River where Mechanical Workshop of Agriculture Department was located.

When the EME Vocational School and the Vocational Examination Center were located at Parsons road in the premises of the Regimental Centre it was consisting of two class rooms, an office for the commanding officer, stores, and welding section. At the inception, while a vocational course was started with 10 – 12 personnel those from the Navy and Air Force too attended. For this senior NCOs of Royal EME Regiment and senior EME NCO with foreign training, functioned as instructors.

For EME Vocational School and Vocational Examination Center, the instructors had been Capt GJ Perera, WO I SA Silva, WO I Wadasinghe and WO II Nelson Abesinghe later Brig B Munasinghe, Lt Col WG Gunaratne and Capt JNJ De Silva participated for lecturers. It is recorded hat WO II Nelson Abesinghe had offered maximum service with regard to its admin duties and training.

As that time, where Defense Service School is now located, at Malay street, a light vehicle repair section, under the command and control of WO I DA Silva had functioned. During the early decade of 1980, in December, for the expansion of the EME Vocational School and Vocational Examination Center, a section of it was moved to a building adjoining the light vehicle repair building. From this place the vocational training course of Craftsmen and vocational examinations were held with the command and control of an officer command. During this time even civilians were given vocational training through this and the certificate issued were well recognized by recognized institution when offering employments. In this vocational school a craftsman’ social activity center also had functioned. In the year 1989 the whole Vocational School and the Vocational Examination Center were established at Malay Street and Major WGMUR Perera was appointed as the commanding officer.

When the SLEME School was taken to Gannoruwa and established there, the name of the EME Vocational School and the name of the EME Examination Center were named as EME School with Lt (QM) JMJ Silva SLEME as the first Commanding officer. WO I PMS Dayarathne served as first Regimental Sgt Major of the EME School.

In 1988 with the requirement of the Sri Lanka Army EME School conducted courses for target making, armoury NCOs, transport officers and transport Sgts. At that time, next to Gannoruwa EME School there was a sqandrant of 4SLASC. In the year 1994 the land where the quadrant was taken over and as it was important SLASC Fuel Station was kept in the same place.

According to ARO 68/96 and G/SD/71 Army Order on 06th August 1996 EME school was declared as established since 01st of January 1991. The Senior officer MSG Gunawardana served as the commandant of EME School Gannoruwa since 6th June 1994. Before this the EME school was under the Command af a Commanding officer.

After 1996 April, under the Command of Maj TN Jayasooriya, at the Gannoruwa EME School training sections of repairing weapons, vehicles and sensitive equipment were established, including a library a Head Quarter building and the Officers’ Mess. Although the Officers’ Mess facilities were offered to officers who came to follow Mechanical Transport Officers Course were found to be without proper accommodation and hence were given permission to find accommodation from outside. With the interest of the commandant a Squash Court was built. which was later used for inter regimental competitions as well.

Later, due to the war requirement training facilities of the army training school was not adequate to train recruits and as such recruits were trained at Regimental level. Hence recruit training was carried out at SLEME training school. Out of them, most joined the Regimental SLEME while others joined infantry units.

The first Recruit Training Course held by SLEME Training School

Lt Col JLCR De Silva who was the Commandant of EME School during 1998 – 2000 also was commanding 1 SLEME as Commanding Officer, stationed at 1 SLEME Panagoda. Training, security and daily commands were carried out by the Chief Instructor, Commanding officer (Admin) carried out all admin duties.

Recruit training courses held then carried out according to the syllabus issued by the Army Head Quarters with more emphasis on firing, map reading and field craft. While jungle training was carried out at Hakuruthale area at Victoria Electrical Installation.

For those war heroes who served SLEME, who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of the nation, in parallel to the 50th anniversary of the Regiment in the year 1999 a war heroes memorial was created and constructed at the EME School premises, facing the main road. For its first ceremony, with the invitation of the Regimental Commandant the Commander of the Army at the time Lt Gen CS Weerasoriya RWP RSP VSV USP participated.

War memorial building in 1999

Between the year 2001 – 2002, as there were no suitable living facilities, with the raw materials collected locally a building was constructed with sufficient facilities for officers, near the present Officers’ Mess. It was declared opened by the Regimental Commander on 10th December 2002.

As there was no official badge for the EME School in the year 2003 with the guidance and supervision of the then Commandant Major AD Elwatte a badge was created and it was forwarded for the permission of the AHQ. On January of the year 2004 as the permission from AHQ received for the badge Major PTM De Silva who was appointed as the new commandant at EME School, held a parade and awarded badges to soldiers.

In 2004 a holiday resort was established at Gannoruwa Camp in the year 2004.

In the years 2004 – 2005 the petrol shed belonged to Service Corps was removed and the parade ground was expanded, with two pavilions erected. Again in 2012 this parade ground was further expanded.

Expansion of the parade ground.

On 12th January 2008 this training school was registered as a “C” grade training school by Tertiary and Vocational Commission. As a result for those soldiers who follow courses in this school qualify to sit for NVQ examination directly. During that time for other ranks a two storied billet was erected inside this school premises. During this time Operation Liberation was in progress and for the internal security of Kandy EME School provided a very satisfactory service. During the period of the Kandy annual procession (Perahara) when VIPs visited, the officers and soldiers provided security, day and night.

Similarly, from the beginning of the decade from December 1990 the security of Peradeniya Fuel Complex and Kiribathkumbura Electricity Board and the Electricity Distribution Center were the responsibility of the school.

The new two storied billet constructed for the use of soldiers who came for training, was opened by the Regimental Commander, in the year 2008.

In the year 2009, for the recruit training course, the jungle exercise was held at Bakamuna area and later at Minneriya – Katukaliyawa.

So far, the largest recruit training course, Course No 37 comprising of 340 were passed out on 7th October 2009.

On 14th December 2009 the EME directors, from India, Pakistan and United Kingdom who visited, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of SLEME made a tour to EME School where they were entertained for dinner at the EME school Officers’ Mess.

In the year 2010 the Regimental Commander declared opened the new two storied billet for soldiers.

New two storied OR’s billet.

In the year 2010, at the main entrance of the EME Training School an attractive gate was created.

The Main Entrance of the School.

In the year 2011 the government decided to officer leadership training by the army for those students who were qualified to enter universities for the first time. Hence, students were trained through two courses and those were commended by the then Director Training.

In the years 2012 and 2013 two courses for each year were conducted, similarly in the same years the leadership training courses were conducted for the officers and lady officers of the Ministry of Economic Development.

During this time a glamorous Saluting Dais was built at the parade ground and another guard room for the camp also was built and opened.

The coloured photographs of the dead war heroes were printed on tiles, bringing great honor and attraction to the memorial, was opened parallel to the Heroes’ day in the year 2016.

Renovated SLEME Memorial of War Heroes.

The floor of the auditorium of EME school was tiled and the ceiling was newly constructed with fittings of Electrical appliances.

The Auditorium after repairs and modifying.

In order to improve the standard of the EME Training School for international recognition and to obtain national level modifications, the Training School had taken action to improve subject matters and relevant facilities. As a result from 25th October 2017, for the Welding Course this school had qualified to issue NVQ Level 4 certificates for technical soldiers.

On 5th March 2018 to curb the Muslim Sinhala riots that took place in Kandy at Digana and other areas, this school deployed officers and soldiers on the instructions of higher authorities, for the national integration and for the maintenance of security of the public for which the Army Commander’s commendation was received.

In the year 2018 a rapid development took place in the EME school training section. The following courses were qualified to receive NVQ level 4, national level certificates for Welding, Tinkering, Machinist and vehicle Mechanic.

On 21st June 2018 a Foundation Stone was laid to build a 100’ x 20’ two storied building for education and training activities of EME school soldiers. For building purpose funds were collected, Rupees One Million from the army and Rs. 3.5 Million out of the ‘Walawe Supercross’ fund. The building after completing was declared opened on 7th December 2019. This would be a great advantage for the future success of the EME School. On 7th December 2019, for the very success of educational purpose of this training school a Foundation Stone was laid to build 100’ x 20’ three storied building.

SLEME Training school, from the inception provides services for the Regimental SLEME and the entire Army by 2019, with 7 officers and 137 other ranks, performing over 50 training courses, annually.

The EME School which provides considerable service for the development of technical knowledge of Regimental SLEME Officers and Other Ranks also provides services to develop the technical and admin knowledge of Officers and Other Ranks, of other units at the army as well, therefore in the future the EME school is prepared to serve the entire Army.

Three quarantine centers were successfully maintained at the following areas around this school, during the time as an active Army contribution to overcome the Corona outbreak from spreading over the island.

SER	Quarantine Center	Date of Commencement	Date of Return
1	Village Development Center – Pilimathalawa	2020.04.27	2021.04.29
2	Service Edition Training Institute - Gannoruwa	2020.04.27	2021.11.17
2	Rural Development Beauty Teacher Training College - Giragama	2020.04.28	2021.04.30