Business
Avinya Aims to bridge A gap in Sri Lanka’s Education Sector with vocational opportunities
The First School in Bandaragama to Be Unveiled in Partnership with Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning
Avinya Foundation, a not-for-profit organization based in Sri Lanka will unveil its first school in January as part of a long-term strategy to offer less-privileged students recognized, non-traditional and affordable vocational education programs.
The Avinya Academy Bandaragama, in partnership with Sarvodaya, will be the first of a planned network of schools, offering high-quality technical as well as social and soft skills that will support students who wish to pursue an alternative career path in specialized fields.
“Our aim is to guide and support students in their chosen vocational fields with an all-round learning experience that will help them to compete effectively in the employer market and ensure a valued professional future. We will give post-Ordinary Level exam students an alternative path to pursuing Advanced Level exams which can lead them directly to employment upon completion or have the option to continue further studies,” said Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, Founder and Chairman of Avinya Foundation.
Commenting on the partnership and Avinya’s curriculum and learning model, Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, Director General of the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning, said the program will offer students a well-rounded learning experience, with the aim to “mold holistically complete individuals.”
“Avinya Foundation’s vocational training isn’t just about gearing up an individual towards a profession. It also carries the responsibility of rendering a cultured citizen to society. The courses prioritize empowering professionals capable of maintaining respect among individuals, with admiration to a fair society and nature’s values, while being economical and energy efficient,” he added.
The three-year program will be conducted by Avinya’s team of education and industry professionals. It will start with the 6-month Avinya Empower program followed by a comprehensive curriculum that will include technical expertise as well as coaching, mentoring, and professional skills so students will be employment-ready. During the Empower program students will learn English, effective communication skills, digital literacy, analytical reasoning, creative thinking, leadership skills, entrepreneurial drive, and other 21st century skills that are critical to making an individual competitive in today’s marketplace through a project based learning approach. The Foundation will also facilitate internships and apprenticeships as part of the education program and assist with employment placements for all graduates. During the program, all students are expected to work on campus in various roles and will be compensated for that work.
Students will be required to pay to attend the Avinya Academy. However, every student will be given means-tested financial assistance, thereby ensuring equal opportunity for less-privileged students to pursue higher education. In addition to the initial seed funding provided by the Weerawarana Foundation, the Avinya Foundation will raise funds and work with various donors to build the schools network and to bridge student fees.
Customized Programs Focused on Technical and Professional Skills
Each Avinya Foundation academy will admit 120 post-Ordinary Level students each year in the age range of 17-18 years. Upon completion of the Empower program, students will undergo a comprehensive vocational education program in a selected vocational area of study, continuously augmented with essential professional and soft skills learning. The Bandaragama Academy will offer vocational programs in IT, Hospitality and Healthcare. Some vocational programs will be offered with partnerships and others engaged in such training.
The network of Avinya Academies will be fully digitally operated and centrally managed by the Foundation. The design and layout of each academy will be based on a unique concept of open and collaborative spaces that will give students a learning environment to inspire creativity, suitably adapted to the local environment of each academy.
All program designs, curriculum material and source code will be shared openly for anyone to use freely, either in Sri Lanka or elsewhere, as Avinya Foundation’s goal is to encourage anyone to deliver more education opportunities to students everywhere.
The execution of programs and administrative operations of the Academy will be managed by a team of specialists with varied backgrounds and professional experience. They include, Anju Moses (Executive Director), Samisa Abeysinghe (Chief Technology Officer), Nihara Nanayakkara (Head of Operations), Lakshman Piyasena (Head of Communications) and Dinesha Senaratne (Head of the Empower Program). The Board Members of the Avinya Foundation are Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana (Chairman), and Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne with Jivaka Weeratunge as Consultant on Corporate Development and Strategy.
“At a time when Sri Lanka’s education system is struggling to emerge from crises induced by the pandemic and the economic meltdown, Avinya brings in a breath of fresh air to less-privileged students. Enabling opportunities for career-focused, vocational education and training using modern pedagogical methods based on 21st century skills, and in the English medium, holds much promise for future generations.” said Dr. Tara de Mel, education specialist and one of the six members of the Avinya Foundation.
Web link : https://avinyafoundation.org
Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, joins the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) to launch the IESL National Startup Challenge, creating a national pathway for aspiring entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable, investment-ready startups. The initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through structured development, expert mentorship and practical support that enables promising ideas to progress towards market readiness and scale.
Launched through the IESL Entrepreneurship Forum at the Dialog Auditorium on 5 October 2026, the competition invites Engineering Undergraduates, Engineering Practitioners and participants in an Open Category for Non-Engineers to submit ideas across 12 innovation verticals aligned with national priorities, emerging technology and market trends, and inclusive innovation. Participants will progress through idea development, pitching, incubation, prototyping, validation, minimum viable product development and business scaling, supported by industry experts, mentors and ecosystem partners. The programme will culminate in a Top 10 selection, with the first-place winner receiving an award of LKR 1 million.
As title sponsor and a key ecosystem enabler, Dialog is contributing practical expertise and resources beyond sponsorship, providing technical expertise, mentors and digital resources to help participating teams develop, validate and scale their solutions. Each of the Top 10 teams will also receive a Dialog Digital Startup Support Package valued at LKR 250,000, comprising selected Dialog digital products and services.
“Dialog is committed to enabling Sri Lanka’s next generation of innovators by connecting entrepreneurial ambition with the technology, expertise and practical resources needed to turn ideas into scalable ventures. Through the IESL National Startup Challenge, Dialog is extending its digital capabilities, mentorship and ecosystem support to help promising teams progress from concept to validation and investment readiness,” said a representative of Dialog Axiata PLC.
Eng. Jasmine Nanayakkara, Chairperson of the Entrepreneurship Forum at the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, added, “The IESL National Startup Challenge is designed to turn innovative ideas into viable businesses by connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with industry expertise, mentorship and continuous practical support. More importantly, it is about creating an ‘Engineer to Entrepreneur’ transformation and nurturing a stronger entrepreneurial culture within the IESL community. By encouraging our engineers and aspiring founders to create, commercialise and scale solutions, we aim to contribute to new ventures, new opportunities and meaningful job creation for Sri Lanka’s skilled and educated next generation. We are grateful to Dialog for partnering with IESL to create this pathway for innovation, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.”
Driving innovation across Sri Lanka, the National Startup Challenge also brings together a strong network of partners, including The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce as Ecosystem and Mentoring Partner, Helago as Official Mobility Partner, Helakuru as Official Digital News Partner, and Real Life as Official Climate Action Partner.
The IESL National Startup Challenge represents a collaborative effort to strengthen Sri Lanka’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by creating a structured pathway from promising ideas to market-ready businesses. Applications are now open via www.iesl.lk/announcements, giving aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to access the resources and funding they need to succeed. Applications close on 16th November 2026. For more information, contact mgr.pub@iesl.lk / 071 109 4393.
Keeping a home clean involves more than dealing with one kind of mess. Kitchens face grease and cooking splashes, bathrooms develop soap scum and limescale, while frequently used areas around the home collect marks, fingerprints and everyday dirt.
For households looking to simplify this routine, multi-surface cleaners offer a practical solution by allowing one product to tackle multiple cleaning needs across suitable surfaces.
One home, many everyday messes
In the kitchen, grease, splashes and burnt-on food can build up around hobs and hotplates. Cupboard doors and appliance exteriors can also collect smudges and marks through daily use.
Bathrooms present different challenges, including limescale, soap scum, toothpaste residue and water marks around sinks, washbasins and shower doors.
Even outside these rooms, surfaces such as door handles, baseboards, table mats and PVC areas can require regular attention.
Making everyday cleaning simpler
This is where the versatility of products such as CIF Cream becomes useful.
CIF Cream can help tackle a range of common household cleaning challenges across suitable surfaces, from grease and burnt-on food in the kitchen to limescale and soap scum in the bathroom.
Its uses can also extend to other suitable areas and items around the home, including cupboard doors, appliance exteriors, PVC surfaces and more, when used according to product directions.
For busy households, the benefit is straightforward: a versatile cleaner can help reduce the complexity of everyday cleaning by addressing several common cleaning needs with one product.
Consumers should always follow product instructions and check suitability before using any cleaner on a particular surface.
CIF products are now available at Cargills, Keells, Glomark and Celeste, as well as online through Daraz and uStore, at a retail price of Rs. 900 for 500ml. Shop CIF online at https://ustore.lk/collections/cif or https://www.daraz.lk/cif/
As household routines continue to evolve, multi-surface cleaning provides a simple approach to keeping different areas of the home clean — one versatile solution for many of the everyday messes that come with daily life.
SriLankan Airlines set dreams in motion for 24 young students selected to represent Sri Lanka at the 2026 International Mathematics and Science Olympiad, held in Indonesia from 2 to 7 October 2026, helping make their journey to Indonesia and back an extra special one.
The students were selected through a four-stage national selection process covering school, zonal, provincial and national levels, with the highest-performing students progressing at each stage.
As a special initiative for Children’s Day, the Ministry of Education sponsored the air travel of all 24 students for the first time. Returning to Sri Lanka with an impressive haul of three Silver Medals and 10 Bronze Medals, the young contestants competed alongside students from 23 countries.
SriLankan Airlines was privileged to be part of their special journey, helping make their experience even more memorable as they represented Sri Lanka on the international stage.
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