News
Alumni Associations help needy undergrads with Student Assistantships
During the recent economic crisis, at the request of the Vice Chancellor, the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter and Peradeniya Engineering Faculty Alumni Association-Colombo came forward to financially assist 300 needy students for a period of six months with the help of donors.
The University suggested a Working Student Assistantship Program (WASP) to add more value to the generous contribution of the Alumni, a news release from the associations said.
This is a short-term placement, with external support, of undergraduates as trainees within the University. It aims to assist the students financially while developing their career skills creating practical work exposure within the university. This is the first time such a program has been launched in a University in Sri Lanka, the release explained.
Under the program jobs have been created in all nine Faculties and other entities of the University offering students flexible working hours to suit their academic timetable with part time employment such as translators, web designers, data analysts, graphic designers, aquarium assistants, event coordinators, legal assistants, HR assistants, Management Assistant , social media coordinators etc. This program is managed by the Career Guidance Unit of the University.
A ceremony to officially introduce the program was held last week at the University Grant Commission office under the patronage of UGC Chairman Prof Sampath Amaratunga. Vice Chancellor of University of Peradeniya Prof M.D Lamawansa and Director Career Guidance Unit of the University of Peradeniya Prof Dileep De Silva, The President of the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter and the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Engineering Colombo Chapter Eng. Vipula Jayampathi and 20 representatives including the official from the Alumni Associations participated at this event.
Based on the prevailing disaster situation and the upcoming festive season, arrangements have been made to provide a nutrition allowance worth Rs. 5,000 to pregnant mothers.
This allowance, which will be provided only once, will be given to pregnant mothers who were registered at maternal clinics on or before 30 November 2025.
The distribution will take place through the Divisional Secretariat offices from 16 December, as a program of the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
The Situation Report released by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) at 6:00 AM today (13th December 2025) confirms that 640 persons have died and another 211 persons are missing due to flooding and landslides that took place in Sri Lanka within the past two weeks.
A meeting between representatives of UNICEF and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya was held on the 10th of December at the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the discussion, an initial review of the new digitalization policy draft was conducted, and it was emphasized that the new digital policy must be formulated to align with the ongoing education reforms.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the digital policy should be developed in a way that supports all five core pillars of the current education reforms, including curriculum reform, infrastructure development, and administrative restructuring.
It was further noted that the current draft is primarily focused on curriculum-related matters, and the digital policy should be structured to influence the overall education reform process.
Extensive discussions were also held on the importance of digital literacy, NEMIS, the provision of digital infrastructure, and minimizing the existing digital divide.
Attention was also drawn to the gaps in the current teacher training mechanisms , and the Prime Minister stressed the need to reduce paper usage.
The meeting was attended by the UNICEF representatives Dr. Emma Brigham and Deborah Wyburn, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary A.B.M. Ashraff, and several other officials.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Pregnant Mothers to receive Rs 5000 Nutrition Allowance in December
640 deaths, 211 missing as at 6:00AM today (13)
New Digitalization Policy draft reviewed
The government is taking steps to streamline trade facilitation, customs processes, investment approvals, and improving export facilities – Prime Minister
Showers will occur in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva, Central and North-Western provinces.
Big fossil fuel companies are responsible for climate crisis but poor countries like Sri Lanka are battered by it – Greenpeace South Asia
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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