Is (the) Pen Innocent?

The Open University, Nugegoda celebrated her ‘OPEN DAY’ on the days 10^th, 11^th, and on the 12^th of December 2015. Amongst the events organized by her, the exhibition of the Early Childhood & Primary Education, the department headed by Mrs. D.M.W. Munasinghe took my attention not just because I work for the department but because of the content of the event. And what I learned from its activities, drafting letters to selling tickets was tremendous. Selling tickets taught me the lessons of ‘importance of human contacts’, basics of marketing, fruitfulness of effective communications, why and how some strategies fails, weaknesses of poor marketing strategies (self strategies used in selling tickets)? 

The Exhibition was about ‘Teaching Aids’.  The aids were prepared by both the Students who are following the programmes conducted by the department ( the ‘Certificate in Pre-School Education programme, Advanced Certificate in Pre-School Education programme, the ‘Diploma in Early Childhood & Primary Education’ Programme) under the guidance of the Department authorities, the authorities of the Faculty of Education and the authorities of the University as the principal Instructor in managing and handling both academic and non academic work  and by the experienced teachers who are already active in the field including the teachers of the Supipi Pre-School. Other than them, the whole department crew supported the event. 

There were many events  parallel to the main events, crafted by each and every faculty of the University. For instance debate competitions for school children, and robot competitions also for the school children took attention of every participant in addition to the other cultural and art events such as ‘ kalamanakaranayata wiramaak’  (an interval for management?). Let me not forget the fairs with very spicy and salty pickles to taste.

The Book Stall with Plenty of new and old arrivals took every persons attention. And I think the 'Acts' that was there to sell was equally important for all levels of learners to match their own interests of learning.

I found many good award winning books though I didn’t buy them respecting my poor financial strategies of the month.

So amongst the books that were there for us to buy, ‘is pen innocent’ mEk wysxilo ? / Paena ahinsakada   took my first attention because of the title chosen and of the author of the book, Experienced writer, Ex- editor (?) of Rawaya paper, Victor Ivan. According to my personal opinion, not at all an innocent Pen. 

I think there is no reason for a pen to be innocent unnecessarily, but to be very strong, steady, sword like, very necessarily.  Pen is a right and a responsibility and is not solely a duty. And a pen is not bread winning tool but a heart winning teaching aid.  Pen is to think and ink is to write. very (highly) importantly pens are not to be sold.

Pen is to be used for non judgmental purposes and it is alright to listen to what others say other than hunting knowledge and news and observe what ever the pen pleases but when it comes to reporting the pen should know what to cut and what to keep before the readers.

I once wrote to one of my favorite benefactors, Sunday Observer Magazine’, Pen is mightier than a sword ‘, my first essay published in an English Magazine. The Editor has not done a single change, grammatical.  Perhaps that was because I used not AL Standard English but OL Standard English

Let me dedicate this essay for all SURVIVING PENS AND FOR THE PENS OF THE PAST.