Business
ChildFund Sri Lanka promotes active teaching and learning approaches
Helping students gain a strong foundation during their primary schooling, ChildFund Sri Lanka (CFSL) adapted a concept by International Literacy Association (ILA). The concept of ‘Active Teaching and Learning Approaches in Schools’ (ATLAS) for primary school children were developed and tested in different contexts. The proven concept was further funded by ChildFund Sri Lanka to be tested in central province through T-Field Child development Federation in collaboration with Education Authorities of Central province in the selected schools. The program which began five years ago has to-date benefited 1,520 schools and 10,109 teachers.
Prior to the program launch, research conducted by authorities showed lower educational competencies, impacting students’ interest in school.
To overcomes these challenges, ChildFund conducted a joint-pilot project with T-Field, a non-profit organization working in Central Province, for the development of marginalized tea estate workers’ communities. A model by ILA, an international organization dedicated to promoting high levels of literacy, was adapted. ILA was also engaged in all stages from the initial assessment to curricular development and training of teachers to ensure programme standards were met.
In the pilot intervention, findings revealed that most lessons conducted were traditional, lecture-type sessions, resulting in low interest and less engagement in studies among children. As Sri Lanka’s policy direction moves towards quality education that is student friendly and contributing to a knowledge economy, a reform of the education is essential to provide more child-friendly learning environments where children acquire a range of competencies.
To improve the quality of education, the ATLAS model, pioneered by ILA, funded by ChildFund New Zealand was implemented together with Ministry of Education, to support facilitating classroom activity sessions enhancing analytical, numeracy and literacy skills, confidence, resilience and leadership building.
The success of the pilot project proven through the positive scholarship examination results paved the way for the provincial authorities to adopt the ATLAS model as a teaching delivery method at primary schools in the Central Province.
Thereafter, a customized ATLAS module was developed for the Central Province. ILA and National Institute of Education provided technical assistance to adapt the model with the Provincial Education department to ensure the approach was adopted by all the primary schools in the Central province. The pilot project was launched among 27 schools and 135 teachers in Nuwara Eliya and 12 schools and 60 teachers in Matale.
“By adopting the ATLAS teaching and learning methods, we were able to improve the grade 5 Scholarship exam results in Nuwara Eliya education zone. Compared to 2019, there was 15% improvement in scholarship exam results in 2020, and we believe that adopting the ATLAS method has greatly contributed towards this achievement. We are very pleased that we were able to introduce an effective teaching and learning approach such as ATLAS to central province with the technical and financial support of ChildFund and T-Field Child Development Federation greatly”, stated M.G.A Piyadasa, Provincial Director, Department of Education, Central Province. ATLAS model aligns with policies and the strategic direction of the Government of Sri Lanka and Provincial Education Authorities.
The official event to signify the official adaptation of the ATLAS module by the Department of Education, Central Province was held end last year.
ChildFund Sri Lanka’s Senior Program Manager, Thilakaratne Karunaratne said, “ChildFund Sri Lanka has over the years focused on education program efforts by expanding and improving school infrastructure, facilitating access to school, and supporting capacity building in communities. Supporting T-Field in implementing the ATLAS approach to Central Provincial schools, we were able to provide teachers the opportunity to participate in teacher training sessions and to receive classroom coaching in an ongoing effort to implement best classroom practices. We are pleased to note that the ATLAS approach has now been adopted by the Central Province while the accompanying strategies and approaches will be useful in improving the quality of primary education throughout Sri Lanka.”
ChildFund Sri Lanka understands that intervention which promote successful early learning and skills acquisition help children grow and develop as useful and productive citizens in their communities are also linked to a country’s economic growth. The successful adoption of the ATLAS module among school children demonstrates how implementing strong educational platforms can contribute to these outcomes.
HNB Assurance PLC was recognized at the Great HR Awards 2025, receiving the Merit Award in the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Investment sector. This recognition reflects the company’s continued commitment to strengthening its people strategy, nurturing a progressive culture, leveraging technology and maintaining strong industrial relations.
Sharing his thoughts on this accomplishment, Lasitha Wimalarathne, Executive Director / Chief Executive Officer of HNB Assurance PLC, stated, “This recognition reiterates our belief that people are the true drivers of our success. Over the years, we have invested significantly in building an environment where our teams feel inspired and supported to deliver their best. As we continue to grow as one of Sri Lanka’s best insurance companies, this award reflects our ongoing efforts to build a workplace where both our people and our business can thrive. My sincere thanks go out to our HR team for continuously driving these initiatives.”
Commenting on the award, Navin Rupasinghe, Head of HR / DGM at HNB Assurance PLC, said, “Our people-first philosophy shapes every HR initiative we design, from strengthening learning pathways and leadership development to enhancing employee well-being and engagement. This recognition validates our ongoing efforts to build a workplace culture grounded in trust, inclusivity and performance. As we look ahead, we remain committed to evolving our HR practices to meet the expectations of our people and the future of work. My sincere thanks to the CIPM for this recignition.”
MullenLowe Sri Lanka has been awarded Gold as the Rest of South Asia’s Creative Agency of the Year at the Campaign Agency of the Year Awards 2025, held recently at Mumbai’s ITC Maratha Hotel. The accolade marks a landmark year for the agency, driven by breakthrough ideas, ambitious brands, and a surge in economic activity.
Campaign Agency of the Year – South Asia 2025 (Rest of South Asia – Creative Agency) awarded to MullenLowe Sri Lanka
Guided by a clear creative vision and extensive category expertise across 111 brands in 33 sectors, MullenLowe strengthened its position through strategic leadership appointments, talent acquisition, and the integration of AI-enabled tools. These initiatives created an environment where creativity, learning, and commercial impact worked in tandem, supporting long-standing client relationships and consistent new business momentum.
Thayalan Bartlett, Executive Chairman, said, “Our growth is rooted in a people-first, creative-centred culture. By attracting top talent and focusing on continuous upskilling, we have enriched both our creative and strategic capabilities.”
The agency’s innovation was further enhanced by Fever, its AI-enabled production studio, and LoweGo, a subscription-based design unit, enabling faster and more scalable solutions for modern marketers. Training programs, including an international AI workshop in Baku for top creative minds, helped unify teams around technology-driven creativity, leading to MullenLowe’s highest Effie points haul in a decade.
Harendra Uyanage, Senior Vice President and Executive Creative Director, added, “This recognition celebrates a team that constantly stretches its creative boundaries, transforming every brief into opportunity.”
The win adds to a series of recent accolades, including Most Effective Agency of the Year at the 2024 Effie Awards, and multiple awards at Dragons of Sri Lanka and SLIM Digis 2025, cementing MullenLowe’s vision to become Sri Lanka’s most commercially impactful creative company by 2030.
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC was named Sri Lanka’s Best Trade Finance Bank at the prestigious Euromoney Transaction Banking Awards 2025, in recognition of the Bank’s strong performance and continued contribution to supporting Sri Lanka’s export and import sectors.
This global recognition from Euromoney, a leading authority in financial markets, celebrates institutions that demonstrate innovation, leadership, and measurable impact in transaction banking across cash management, payments, trade finance, and technology. Commercial Bank is Sri Lanka’s clear market leader in trade finance, commanding a 21% share in exports and a 14.26% share in imports, demonstrating its strong presence across both segments.
In 2024, the Bank supported over US$ 5 billion in trade transactions, underscoring its unmatched role in enabling the flow of goods, services, and foreign exchange. Its leadership has also been recognised regionally by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which named Commercial Bank its Leading Partner Bank in Sri Lanka for the fourth consecutive year under the Trade and Supply Chain Finance Programme.
At the forefront of Commercial Bank’s recent innovations is ComBank TradeLink, Sri Lanka’s first fully integrated, end-to-end digital trade finance platform. The system brings all trade finance operations – from Letters of Credit to export collections and shipping guarantees – into one secure online interface, providing customers real-time visibility, faster processing, and paperless convenience. This digitalisation drive has redefined the client experience, reduced manual processes and improved turnaround times across thousands of transactions.
The Bank’s commitment to advancing Sri Lanka’s trade sector extends beyond technology. Through initiatives such as the ComBank Trade Club, which facilitates connections between buyers and suppliers both locally and internationally, and ComBank LEAP | GlobalLinker, a digital business networking platform for SMEs, the Bank is actively building bridges between Sri Lankan entrepreneurs and global markets. Its Diribala Exporter Development Programme further empowers micro, small, and medium enterprises to become export-ready, providing access to expert guidance, training, and financial support.
Reflecting on the award, Commercial Bank said the recognition from Euromoney was a tribute to the trust placed in the Bank by Sri Lanka’s exporters and importers, and to the dedication of its trade finance teams who continue to innovate and deliver excellence in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
As Sri Lanka’s largest private sector bank and the first to surpass US$ 1 billion in market capitalisation, Commercial Bank continues to lead in supporting national trade, driving digital transformation, and shaping a more inclusive and resilient export economy, the Bank said.
Commercial Bank was the first bank in the country to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World, and has the highest Tier I capital base among all Sri Lankan banks. The Bank is the largest private sector lender in Sri Lanka and the largest lender to the country’s SME sector. Commercial Bank is also a leader in digital innovation and is Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon-neutral bank.
Commercial Bank operates a network of strategically located branches and automated machines island-wide, and has the widest international footprint among Sri Lankan banks, with 20 branches in Bangladesh, a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake in the Maldives, a microfinance company in Myanmar, and a representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The Bank’s fully owned subsidiaries, CBC Finance Ltd. and Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Limited, also deliver a range of financial services via their own branch networks.
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