The cabinet on Wednesday endorsed a proposal by the education ministry on the advice of President Chandrika Kumaratunga to teach Tamil to Sinhala students and Sinhala to Tamil students.

All political parties have hailed the decision, which will be implemented from January next year, official sources said. The move forms part of the government's groundwork to achieve ethnic harmony in the country by cutting across linguistic barriers.

The proposal is part of the government's education reforms, launched with the aim of equipping students to face the challenges of the new millennium, media minister Managala Samaraweera told the weekly cabinet briefing on Thursday.

The government was aware of the problems faced by the minority communities in seeking admission for theirchildren to some schools in Colombo. The President has instructed the education department to look into their problems and also appointed a cabinet sub-committee, directing it to submit a report within two weeks, the minister said.

From next year, both Sinhala and Tamil will be taught in all schools with English as a ``link language'', he said.

The president has also instructed a recruit more Tamil teachers and appoint necessary stenographers and Tamil interpreters in all the ministries.

He said the proposal would go a long way towards achieving amity and goodwill among all communities. The government had allocated Rs 800 million for the year 1999 to implement education reforms.