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Crisis in education sector: Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians offers to help govt. overcome challenges
The Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians (SLCP) has offered to join hands with the Ministry of Education and the government to overcome the challenges in the education sector amidst the ongoing political-economic-social crisis. The outfit declared a tangible action plan was required to address the issues at hand.
The following is the text of the statement issued by SLCP President Prof. Guwani Liyanage: “Sri Lanka as a country has always been held in the highest esteem due to its high literacy indices in comparison to other countries in the region. However, the past three years have been a challenge to all sectors and especially so for education of children and young people.
The COVID-19 outbreak had brought fear, anxiety, and above all maximal stress worldwide. Institution of health safety measures and lockdowns, which were a novelty to us all, made physical contact an impossible task except in dire circumstances related to health. The schools were closed initially and with the use of current technology, online teaching commenced, based on the available facilities of each region. According to a study, most of the children had received some level of education, even though quite understandably, children of lower and middle-income families have had to utilise the facilities only within their reach, as a substitute for face-to-face teaching. The usage of social media like WhatsApp to deliver education material had been successful to a certain extent. Two major examinations like GCE O/L and GCE A/L were held, albeit following a delay in proportion to the challenging circumstances.
As the country was about to see some light at the end of the tunnel in terms of COVID-19, and with the schools reopening and adapting to the new normal, a new challenge emerged for our country with the worst economic crisis ever to be faced in the post-independence era. With the scarcity of fuel, transport has become the worst affected, with both the teachers and children facing difficulties in attending school. Further to this, the schools were closed on several occasions due to a lack of modes to commute for school attendees, adding to the unfortunate woes that were seen as sequelae of the pandemic.
Online education, the silver lining of the gloomy cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic, has the potential to be the solution until the country overcomes this challenging series of adversities. Undoubtedly, online education has its disadvantages, but given the limited number and modes of the substitutes available to provide uninterrupted education, online education may serve the purpose. Proper guidance and supervision with organisational support will avoid unwanted missed days of school.
Strategic planning to continue education uninterruptedly will be the best investment the country can make for centuries. Most of the teachers including those even in the most rural sectors are quite conversant with the online learning platforms and hence supporting this good cause would be a less tedious course. The policymakers would appreciate the pros and cons of each type of education at different institutions, as more transport issues are likely to prevail in urban communities, where technology is likely to be at its best when compared to rural communities. Hence, tailor-made methods for each should provide sustainable delivery of education to our children, the future jewels of our nation.
We, at the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, are willing to join hands with the Ministry of Education and the government in this tedious task to overcome the challenges likely to be faced in delivering this educational service which will affect several generations to come. As the premier professional academic organisation concerned with child healthcare, representing academics and clinicians responsible for the health of the future generations, we believe that we truly need to initiate and support the uninterrupted delivery of education to the children of our land. While appreciating the hard work done by the teachers in attending to this tremendously challenging task, we would like to reemphasise the importance of their role in this endeavour. We do pledge to support very strongly, all efforts that would be made by the relevant authorities in the required initiatives.
We should all join hands and stand together to mitigate this worst social dilemma that has engulfed us as the material scarcities may only cause wounds that heal, but the adversities faced by our children are most likely to leave scars for a lifetime to come.”
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
