News
Gevindu concerned about province being basis, backs move to restrict classes to Grade 12
Educational reforms:
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Deputy Secretary of Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya Gevindu Cumaratunga, MP, yesterday (10) said that the move to base proposed educational reforms at provincial level would lead to unnecessary problems.
Cumaratunga, who is also the leader of Yuthukama civil society group, warned of dire consequences if the government succeeded in its bid to do away with the concept of national colleges, particularly at a time various interested parties were pushing for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in 1988 in terms of the Indo-Lanka agreement of the previous year.
Asked whether the Opposition coalition opposed the proposed educational reforms, MP Cumaratunga said they accepted the need for reforms. However, the government shouldn’t expect them to keep quiet in the face of serious flaws in the overall strategy, MP Cumaratunga said.Education Minister Susil Premjayantha, who is also the Leader of the House, recently declared that new educational reforms would be introduced early next year.
The lawmaker explained that a set of proposals pertaining to educational reforms received by MPs and the content of subsequent documents on the issue at hand differed sharply. “I raised this issue in parliament in the first week of December,” MP Cumaratunga said, pointing out that proposed educational reforms should be acceptable to all.
The MP emphasized the failure on the part of the Education Ministry to propose ways and means to improve and enhance the teaching of the Mother Language. Lawmaker Cumaratunga said that the proposal to conduct the GCE O/L Examination in Grade 10 and the GCE A/L Examination in Grade 12 was acceptable though certain matters needed to be discussed. “This shouldn’t be another political project,” the first-time entrant to Parliament said.
Referring to the recent Year 5 Scholarship examination, MP Cumaratunga said that he was happy Tamil children sat for the examination in all 25 administrative districts. However, Sinhala students didn’t sit the same examination in Jaffna, Kilicochchi and Batticaloa districts. The MP questioned the failure on the part of Provincial Councils to look into Sinhala schools in the Northern and Eastern Provinces even after the end of the conflict in 2009.
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
