News
GL: over 500 quarantined AL candidates sat examination
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (6) paid a glowing tribute to all those who had made it possible for the successful conclusion of the GCE Advanced Level examination under extremely difficult conditions due to the unexpected eruption of corona second wave.
Minister Peiris said that the conducting of the examination was a real challenge as the situation gradually deteriorated with the government compelled to bring the entire Western Province under quarantine curfew.
Western Province comprising administrative districts of Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara was brought under quarantine curfew at midnight on Oct 29.
Responding to The Island queries, Prof. Peiris said that putting off the examination for the second time could have caused major issues. The examination was to be held in August.
The Education Minister said the media coverage during the examination highlighted the fact that the parents of those who sat the examination threw their weight behind the government decision. At one point some interested parties threatened to sabotage the examination over some shortcomings. But, overall everybody supported, the Minister said, adding that all those who contributed to the successful effort could quite rightly be proud of the achievement.
Recalling the difficulties experienced in holding the Year Five Scholarship examination on Oct 11 before the commencement of the Advance Level examination on the following day, Prof. Peiris said on the first day three candidates under quarantine sat the examination. As the epidemic spread, many more were categorized and had to be brought under a special system in place for them to sit the examination, the minister said.
Prof. Peiris said that by the time the examination concluded yesterday, altogether 568 sat the examination while being under quarantine. According to statistics provided by the Media Unit of the Education Ministry, 27 sat for the examination at the Angoda Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), one at the hospital at the Panagoda Army cantonment and one at the Mulleriyawa hospital. In addition to them, 12 special centres accommodated students from Minuwangoda, Gampaha, Ja-ela, Seeduwa and Ekala. A total of 362,824 sat the examination.
Prof. Peiris said that government servants went out of their way to make it possible. “We arranged special transport with the support of the SLTB and the Railways Department whereas the staff played a crucial role,” the minister said.
Prof. Peiris said that they faced the daunting task of preventing an outbreak in any of the 2,648 examination centers. “We were concerned about the countrywide situation though curfews were declared in the Western Province and several other police areas in the provinces,” the minister said.
On the last day of the examination nearly 35,000 candidates sat the final paper.
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
