View source for National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA)

==Summary==
*[https://naita.gov.lk/ National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA)] is a government organisation, which is under the administrative power of [https://www.mohe.gov.lk/index.php?lang=en Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education]. 
* In 2022, NAITA initiated a project to provide industrial training for 250 apprentices, in partnership with [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]] the Corporate Social Investment Subsidiary of [[Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)]].
*This partnership violates the [[FCTC Article 5.3 | Article 5.3]] of the [[Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)]] which recommends governments to reject partnerships with the tobacco industry.

==Background==
[https://naita.gov.lk/ National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA)] was established in 1990, under the Tertiary and Vocational Education Act (No. 20 of 1990). It originated in 1971 as the National Apprentice Board (NAB) ‘to co-ordinate and regulate enterprise-based apprenticeships’. According to their [https://naita.gov.lk/ website], it is the “number one eminent state body having capacity of providing industry acceptable technical and vocational training for youths.” NAITA provides services including apprenticeship training, institutional training and awards National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Certificates to certify skilled for the respective vocations.<ref> National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority. [https://naita.gov.lk/ History], 2025, accessed June 2025</ref> 

[https://naita.gov.lk/ National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA)] is under the administrative power of [https://www.mohe.gov.lk/index.php?lang=en Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational education]. The management of NAITA consists of a Director General and five Directors.<ref> National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority. [https://naita.gov.lk/head-office/ Head Office], 2025, accessed June 2025</ref>

==Partnering with tobacco industry on an apprenticeship training programme==
NAITA partnered with [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]] through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to provide industrial training for 250 selected apprentices from the districts of Galle, Hambantota, Colombo, Anuradhapura and Batticaloa in selected occupations at NVQ Level 3 for 6 months.<ref> NAITA Sri Lanka. [https://web.facebook.com/naitaSL/posts/pfbid02q6ba3R4cw6pucdprikbxrqvN2VaVZKxiD19hEESVhPV2r3GwejcUpBgS1xZK9idgl Facebook], 11 November 2022, accessed January 2026</ref> The programme was reportedly initiated under the leadership of Dr. Susil Premajayantha, then Minister of Education (Image 1). According to the [https://www.parliament.lk/uploads/documents/paperspresented/1711103566077201.pdf annual report of NAITA] in 2022, NVQ Level 6 Certificate courses were provided ‘in the fields of Field Assistant (Agricultural), Welder, Aged Care, Aluminium Fabrication Technician, Electrician, and Restaurant Worker’, under the programme. Further, it is mentioned that “the [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]] is expected to provide jobs for the youths who successfully complete the training in the districts of Colombo, Galle, Anuradhapura, Hambantota and Batticaloa”.<ref name=NAITA> National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority. [https://www.parliament.lk/uploads/documents/paperspresented/1711103566077201.pdf Annual Report 2022], 2023, accessed June 2025</ref> 

A post published in the NAITA Sri Lanka Facebook page also reported that the above jobs will be provided by the [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]].<ref name=MOU> NAITA Sri Lanka. [https://web.facebook.com/naitaSL/posts/pfbid0Sg895GaXLbv1F33jwGU67MGc2Vc9JbcGDjmaq7fRvGQYk5xG3xSfXe9YfDsVLpSxl Facebook], 29 August 2022, accessed January 2026</ref> The information in the public domain related to this programme does not mention involving the remaining three of the eight district offices of NAITA, namely, Ampara, Badulla and Gampaha, nor where exactly those jobs were to be provided.<ref> National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA). [https://naita.gov.lk/institutions#district-offices-section District offices], 2025, accessed August 2025</ref> During the year this partnership was initiated, i.e., 2022, two individuals served as NAITA Chairperson: Tharanga Naleen Gamlath up to 26 August 2022 and then Ruchika Amarasekara.<ref name=NAITA/>
 
[[Image: NAITA_signingMOU.jpg|1200px|thumb|center|Image 1: NAITA Facebook page reporting the signing MOU with the [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]]. <ref name=MOU/>]]


[[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]], a subsidiary of the [[Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)]], conducts the Corporate Social Investment (CSI) activities on behalf of the CTC. [[Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)]] is a subsidiary of [[British American Tobacco (BAT)]] and holds the monopoly of cigarette manufacturing and sales in Sri Lanka. Please visit our pages on [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]] and [[Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)]] for more details.
Interestingly, different sources reported this partnership in different ways as summarised in Table 1.
===Table 1: Summary of media and other reports on the training programme===
{| border="1" cellpadding="1"
! scope="col" width="200px" | Date / Year
! scope="col" width="200px" | Source
! scope="col" width="500px" | Details of the training programme
! scope="col" width="300px" | Partnership 
! scope="col" width="300px" | Remarks
|-
| 2022 || CTC Annual Report || 
*CTC conducted ‘education and training programmes that impart vocational skills and knowledge’.
*Six projects were conducted during the year 2022, and the number of “beneficiaries” was 350. <ref> Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC. [https://cdn.cse.lk/cmt/upload_report_file/460_1682413467551.pdf Annual Report 2022], 21 April 2023, accessed June 2025</ref>
||
Via the CSI initiative “Entrepreneur” (ව්යවසායකයා in Sinhala) 
|| - 
|-
| 09 January 2023 || BusinessCafe || rowspan="2" | It is mentioned that they are “empowering 1,000 budding entrepreneurs pursue high demand vocations with a qualification.” || rowspan="2" | It is a partnership with the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and the [[National Youth Services Council]] of Sri Lanka, under the “Entrepreneur” initiative of [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]].<ref> Business Café. [https://web.archive.org/web/20250623110658/https://businesscafe.lk/business-news/development/item/11592-outreach-projects-empowers-87-000-beneficiaries-island-wide-through-purpose-led-community-initiatives Outreach Projects empowers 87,000+ beneficiaries island wide through purpose-led community initiatives], 9 January 2023, accessed June 2025</ref><ref> Daily FT. [https://web.archive.org/web/20250623110213/https://www.ft.lk/business/Outreach-Projects-empowers-87-000-beneficiaries-island-wide-through-purpose-led-community-initiatives/34-744377 Outreach Projects empowers 87,000+ beneficiaries island-wide through purpose-led community initiatives], 21 January 2023, accessed June 2025</ref>|| rowspan="2" | The report quoted Senaka de Fonseka, then Chief Operating Officer of [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]].
|-
| 21 January 2023 || Daily FT 
|- 
| 2023 || CTC Annual Report || 
Over nine vocational training programmes were conducted across nine districts benefiting 450 youths (Image 2).<ref name=Annual2023> Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC. [https://cdn.cse.lk/cmt/upload_report_file/460_1713752522299.pdf Annual Report 2023], 19 April 2024, accessed June 2025</ref>
|| It is under the “Entrepreneur” initiative of CTC 
|| According to the NAITA [https://naita.gov.lk/ website], there are only eight district offices in Sri Lanka.
|-
| Undated || A booklet titled ‘A story of sustainability’ published by the [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]] 
||
Not reported
||
The partnership of NAITA and NYSC under the “Entrepreneur” initiative was mentioned (Image 3). 
|| 
The booklet included a photograph taken at the NAITA, which featured the then minister Susil Premajayantha and Senaka de Fonseka.<ref name=outreach> Outreach Projects Guarantee Limited. [https://web.archive.org/web/20250623110859/https://fliphtml5.com/tuhlu/ajts/CTC_-_Coffee_Table_Book_Test/ A story of sustainability], Undated, accessed June 2025</ref>
|}
 
[[Image: annual23.jpg|600px|thumb|center|Image 2: Excerpt from the CTC annual report of 2023. <ref name=Annual2023/>]]
 

[[Image: outreach_book.jpg|600px|thumb|center|Image 3: Excerpt from the booklet published by the outreach projects, which mentioned NAITA and NYSC as their programme partners. <ref name=outreach/>]]

The official Facebook page of NAITA Sri Lanka posted news of the certificate awarding ceremony of the training programme held in different districts with the participation of NAITA and CTC officials and Senaka de Fonseka in November 2023 (Image 4 and 5).<ref name=FB> NAITA Sri Lanka. [https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=671273638463133&id=100067415086762&_rdc=4&_rdr# Facebook], 10 November 2023, accessed June 2025</ref><ref name=FB2> NAITA Sri Lanka – Galle District. [https://web.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid029BhQaC2Xp1vf7gNA8373HhCHwMGPtohkYegKYWY764jnT9XF1wv1Xi4FrF65KKG6l&id=100064499689616 Facebook], 6 November 2023, accessed August 2025</ref>


 

[[Image: NAITA_FB11.jpg|800px|thumb|center|Image 4: Excerpt from the NAITA Facebook post on certificate awarding ceremony in Batticaloa District.<ref name=FB/>]]

 

[[Image: NAITA_FB2.jpg|800px|thumb|center|Image 5: Excerpt from the NAITA – Galle district Facebook post on initiation of internship under the project with the participation of NAITA officials..<ref name=FB2/>]]

 

[[Image: NAITA_FB3.jpg|800px|thumb|center|Image 6: Excerpt from the NAITA – Galle district Facebook post on the certificate awarding ceremony. It features Zahrah Cader, Head of Legal, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs of [[Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)]].<ref name=FB2/>]]
 

[[Image: NAITA_FB4.jpg|800px|thumb|center|Image 7: Excerpt from the NAITA Facebook post on initiation of internship under the project with the participation of NAITA and [[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]] officials..<ref name=FB2/>]]

 
[[Image: NAITA_FB5.jpg|800px|thumb|center|Image 8: Excerpt from the NAITA Facebook post on initiation of the course in Galle District with the participation of Additional District Secretariat as the Chief Guest.<ref name=FB2/>]]

==Implications==
Tobacco companies are well known for using Corporate Social Investment (CSI) activities to promote their image and reputation, especially among the youth. Research has revealed that the scholarships/ sponsorship of the tobacco industry targeting youth can increase the social acceptability of the company and raise positive attitudes towards tobacco use.<ref> Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. [https://assets.tobaccofreekids.org/global/pdfs/en/APS_healthimpact.pdf The Impact of Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship], undated, accessed August 2025</ref>

[[FCTC Article 5.3 | Article 5.3]] of the [[Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)]] recommends to the Parties to reject partnerships and agreements with the tobacco industry to protect public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry. Partnerships between the tobacco industry and the NAITA as described in this post help to promote the image of the tobacco industry. Thus, it violates the [[National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act]] No 27 of 2006, the main legal framework for tobacco and alcohol control in Sri Lanka, which prohibits promoting the image of a tobacco manufacturer, identifying it as a “tobacco advertisement”.

==TobaccoUnmasked Resources==
*[[Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)]]
*[[British American Tobacco (BAT)]]
*[[Outreach Projects (Guarantee) Limited]]
*[[FCTC Article 5.3]] 
*[[Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)]]
*[[National Youth Services Council]]
*Senaka de Fonseka
*‘Entrepreneur’ Initiative

The local language translations
<table style="float:left"><tr><td>[[File:Sinhala.jpg|right|90px|TobaccoUnmasked_Sinhala|link=https://www.tobaccounmasked.com//sinhala/%E0%B6%A2%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%AD%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A_%E0%B6%86%E0%B6%B0%E0%B7%94%E0%B6%B1%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A%E0%B6%AD%E0%B7%8A%E0%B7%80_%E0%B7%83%E0%B7%84_%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%BB%E0%B7%8A%E0%B6%B8%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A_%E0%B6%B4%E0%B7%94%E0%B7%84%E0%B7%94%E0%B6%AB%E0%B7%94_%E0%B6%85%E0%B6%B0%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%BB%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%BA_(NAITA)]]</td><td>[[File:Tamil-new.jpg|90px|right|TobaccoUnmasked_Tamil|link=https://tobaccounmasked.com/tamil/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8A%E0%AE%B4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF_%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%88_(NAITA)]]</td><tr></table>
</div>




==Notes==
<References/>
[[Category: Tobacco Companies]] 
[[Category: Corporate Social Investments]] 
[[Category: Marketing and Promotions]] 
[[Category: Influencing Policy]] 
[[Category: Institutions Governed by Tobacco Industry]] 
[[Category: Partnerships]]