The Sri Lankan government started to teach Sinhala language for the nonSinhalese and Tamil language for the majority Sinhalese, under the 'Trilingual Sri Lanka' program, an official said Monday. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, newly appointed minister of National Languages and Social Integration said they have organized Sinhala language classes for school leavers, government and private sector employees in the northern capital Jaffna. 'This program would be continued for 10 years,' he said. Majority Sinhala people in the south have not adequate knowledge of Tamil language as well as northern Tamils and eastern Muslims cannot speak or understand Sinhala language. After the decades-long civil war ended last year, Sri Lanka's government decided to teach all three languages Sinhala, Tamil and English to all people as part of the reconciliation strategy. Nanayakkara said Tamil youths in the north are eager to learn Sinhala to overcome the communication barrier in the community, and 44 classes are being carried out to teach Sinhala language for the Tamil government officers. At the same time, 'We have already started 223 Tamil language classes in seven provinces for Sinhalese government officers,' said the minister. He said the government would offer a certificate to those who perform well in these language classes. 