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MOU with Australian Government funded Skills for Inclusive Growth Programme
The Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) has entered into an MOU with the Australian Government funded Skills for Inclusive Growth Programme (S4IG), managed by Palladium International Group to increase collaboration to strengthen skills development in tourism.S4IG is a skills development programme of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) implemented in Sri Lanka in accordance with the terms of a Subsidiary Agreement signed on 31 March 2022 between DFAT and the Sri Lankan State Ministry of Skills Development, Vocational Training, Research & Innovations.
Parties agreed on the national implementation of the landmark TVEC Reasonable Adjustment Circular, guidelines, and tools to increase accessibility and skill recognition for people with disabilities, as well as the delivery of a training module to TVEC assessors. In addition, it was agreed that an Inclusion Toolkit will be created for use in assessor trainings and assessments in selected occupations.Data from the National Census of 2012 indicates a disability prevalence rate of 8.7%, with only 45% of youth with disabilities aged 15-19 years old attending upper secondary (grades 10 and 11) and collegiate (grades 12 and 13) levels. As a result, this segment of the population remains largely excluded from the labour market; 71% of adults with disability being economically inactive. The TVET system offers a solution to address the higher unemployment rate and low level of education among people with disabilities.
While historically people with disabilities are mainly enrolled in separate schools for education and vocational training, the recent policies issued by TVEC explicitly promotes training of persons with disabilities within mainstream vocational training institutes and support the transformation and incorporation of disability specific TVET programmes into NVQ framework. While enrolment of persons with disabilities in NVQ training courses remains so far limited, the circular aims to specifically remove assessment related barriers people with disabilities may face in the TVET system. This cooperation will support TVEC who is leading system changes to improve participation rates and ensuring all Sri Lankans are getting access to quality vocational training and access to employment.
TVEC will now enable the accreditation of S4IG-developed training courses/modules developed in collaboration with the tourism industry, government, and private hospitality-related training institutes. This will support TVEC to create International Standard curricula.The MOU formalizes the recognition of prior learning (RPL) and upskilling of existing personnel in the hospitality sector to enhance the skills of chefs and kitchen operations staff and enables work-based and online assessment tools developed for the micro, small, and medium enterprises to be scaled out across Sri Lanka. The TVEC website will now incorporate online flexible learning opportunities in the tourist and hospitality industries.S4IG will support TVEC in creating tools for all district coordination committees to identify skills gaps and eliminate local skill mismatches to produce the needed skills for local economic development. This planning tool kit will strengthen TVEC leadership in guiding training provision that is responsive to local employment opportunities and stimulate inclusive economic growth.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
