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‘Claims of militarization of education at KNDU totally baseless’ – Defence Secretary
Thousands of children in Sri Lanka have entered General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) to fulfill their dreams for higher education, says Defence Secretary, Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne.
“The KDU has been open to everyone who deserves. A valuable opportunity has been created for students who are Advanced Level (A/L) qualified in terms of the directions of the President and the Prime Minister for the maximum use of human capital, available resources and the vast knowledge that can be disseminated by the KDU”, he noted.
The Defence Secretary made these remarks during a program aired by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) to discuss the newly drafted Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill.
Education Ministry Secretary, Prof. Kapila Perera and KDU Vice Chancellor, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Milinda Peiris also expressed their views on the proposed piece of legislation.
The student intake to national universities has been increased to 41,000 under the direction of the President in consultation with the Minister of Education, Secretary of the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission, Gunaratne said.
“Despite the increase in the student intake, a considerable segment of A/L qualified students are still unable to pursue their higher education”.
He said there’s a drain of foreign exchange as affluent parents send their children for studies to universities overseas. Some other parents enroll their children to local university colleges affiliated to foreign universities, which again means that substantial foreign currency is transferred overseas.
“However, children of poor families in our country are deprived of avenues to fulfill their higher education dreams as they are not in a position to afford a costly education in foreign universities”, the Defence Secretary said, while asking whether it is wrong to afford an opportunity to deserving students to make their life a success.
Dismissing allegations leveled against the proposed KNDU Bill, he said the picture painted by some sections over so-called militarization of education was totally baseless.
Referring to Defence Universities in the world, he pointed out that well-qualified and academically sound senior military officers serve as Vice Chancellors (VC) of such institutions and the KDU VC is also such a qualified official who is supported by the academic staff consisting mostly of civil scholars including the Deputy VC responsible for academic matters.
The Defence Secretary further assured that the future graduates produced by the KDU would be academically sound, well-disciplined scholars who possess leadership qualities,
“Education is a very powerful tool and every one of us has been nurtured through education”, Education Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera said.
KDU Vice Chancellor Maj. Gen. Milinda Peiris elaborated on the various stages of the evolution of the University in line with available provisions and the procedure being followed to elevate the KDU to an internationally-recognized University similar to all other National Universities in Sri Lanka.
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
