News
New Australian HC launches landmark educational programme
Newly designated Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Paul Stephens marked his first official appearance in his new role at the launch of a landmark partnership between Firbank Grammar School in Melbourne, Australia, and Ladies’ College Institute of Professional Studies in Colombo on Friday, 12 August 2022, through which Firbank will support Ladies’ College to provide young men and women the opportunity to obtain the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).
The High Commissioner’s attendance at the event coincides with the 75th year of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Australia, signifying the depth of long-term collaboration behind this partnership between the two educational institutions, which will see experienced mentors from Firbank Grammar School working regularly with educators at Ladies’ College to ensure that the VCE programme is delivered in line with the high standards that have earned Firbank its reputation as one of Melbourne’s leading Schools.
Thus, through this partnership, which is facilitated by administrative support from AustraLanka International Academy, Ladies’ College will allow Sri Lankan students to benefit from Australian education without having to leave the country. Students in the VCE programme at Ladies’ College will share the same experience as students studying the VCE in Melbourne, with access to the same assessments and examinations.
The launch event, which was also attended by Firbank Grammar School Principal Jenny Williams and Director of International Operations Wendy Grant, alongside Ladies’ College Vice Principal Ranmalee Balasooriya and Ladies’ College Institute of Professional Studies Chief Operating Officer Sunimal Fernando, as well as AustraLanka International Academy Director Amila Jayasuriya, began with the traditional lighting of the oil lamp, before representatives from both schools formally signed the partnership agreement.
This is the first such partnership of its kind, where an Australian education institution has undertaken a long-term engagement with a local counterpart to consistently maintain and improve educational standards. While teachers will benefit from an evolving and improving curriculum, students gain the advantage of more holistic educational and assessment methods that go far beyond end-of-year exams.
Speaking about this at the launch event, Firbank Grammar School Director of International Operations Wendy Grant explained that Firbank Grammar School wants all its students, domestic and international, to see themselves as part of the global community, adding: “When they set their sights on success, they make a difference not only in their own countries, but across the world. The relationships that students develop internationally, we believe, will assist this, and help build a collaborative, cooperative global village into the future.”
This concept of the global village is an integral part of the vision of Firbank Grammar School, which has extensive experience in international education, and continues to successfully work with ten partner schools in China and Vietnam.
Wendy also noted that Firbank’s foray into Sri Lanka had long been in the works, with several Sri Lankans having worked with the school in Melbourne, and some of them being Ladies’ College alumni – thus, this partnership was born of the same collaborative culture that it seeks to inculcate in students through its VCE programmes.
The VCE is an internationally recognised senior secondary certificate issued by the Victorian Government that, upon completion, awards students an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) score, which will provide them direct access to universities in Australia as well as around the world. This will open up opportunities to continue their higher education without the need for additional qualifications such as IELTS, allowing them access to better career pathways in the process.
What sets the VCE apart from other qualifications is its emphasis on the development of skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, as it aims to prepare students for lifelong learning and future employment. More than just an exam at the end of the year, school-assessed coursework as well as external exams contribute to an end-of-year study score.
The Parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that there were fake documents regarding the importing of medicines under the emergency procurement system in 2022 and 2023.
This was revealed during a COPE meeting held at Parliament probing the transactions of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA).
NMRA CEO Saveen Semage told the committee that several fake documents have been found due to the lack of registration of medicines.
Stating that six such fake documents were found last year alone, Semage said he had recorded statements regarding each of the documents with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division.
He revealed that, however, no investigations have been conducted yet into the incidents.
“We have documents with confessions from a woman accepting that fake documents had been made. However, a statement has not even been recorded from that woman yet,” he said.
Meanwhile, COPE member MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana also revealed that the highest number of waive-off registrations (WOR) for medicines had been obtained in 2022 and 2023.
He said 656 such WORs had been obtained in 2022 and 261 in 2023, adding that this proves that discrepancies have taken place during the emergency procurement of medicines during these periods.
Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. G. Wijesuriya said discussions are underway on allowing the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to directly import essential medicines.He pointed out that it was essential to take a policy decision in this regard as a solution to mitigate such discrepancies.
The Batalanda Commission report was tabled in Parliament on Friday by the Leader of the House and Transport Minister, Bimal Ratnayake.
Minister Ratnayake announced that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for legal advice. Additionally, a Presidential Committee will be appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on how to proceed with the findings of the report.
Ratnayake said that the Cabinet of Ministers, along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a policy decision to take necessary action in response to the report. He reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure that such a dark chapter in the country’s history is never repeated.
Minister Ratnayake said that a two-day debate on the Batalanda Commission report will be scheduled in Parliament at an appropriate time, allowing for a detailed discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations.
The report, which will be printed in all three official languages—Sinhala, Tamil, and English—will be made available to the public in the near future. Ratnayake confirmed that printed copies would be provided to members of Parliament as well as the general public for their review.
The Leader of the House further revealed that there are 28 evidence volumes associated with the commission’s work, which will be submitted to Parliament at a later date for further scrutiny.
Ratnayake said that as entire country concerned of the Batalanda Commission’s findings, the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised and preventing future atrocities stands clear. The next steps, including legal action and policy recommendations, will be shaped by expert advice and informed parliamentary discussions, he said.
Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe on Friday (14) emphasized the importance of promoting a sustainable and cost-effective construction industry in the country, highlighting key challenges and opportunities in the sector.
Speaking at ‘Construction Expo 2025’, Dr. Weerasinghe underscored the need for Sri Lanka to align with global trends in sustainable construction, integrating cost-effective energy solutions and eco-friendly building practices.
“I must say my views here are not necessarily as Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, but as a person looking at this construction industry and how this can be developed and what the issues are. Sustainability in construction is essential, not just for new projects but also for existing buildings,” he noted.
Dr. Weerasinghe acknowledged that the construction sector has been one of the hardest-hit industries due to multiple economic pressures in recent years including the decline in public investments, high material costs and the industry being dependent on government projects.
The CBSL Governor, who acknowledged that the government faced fiscal constraints, limiting infrastructure spending and delaying payments to contractors, said that however, the outstanding arrears had now been settled.
“Government did not have space to spend money for public investment, especially construction that had a significant impact on the industry in the last couple of years, plus the government inability to pay the arrears for a long period. That was an issue we all recognize that has been one of the adverse impacts the industry had in the past”, he expressed.
“Also the cost of materials went up significantly, partly because of foreign exchange shortages. As a result, the shortage had shot up the prices of construction materials, as well as depreciation of the currency, high interest rates, finance costs, and other factors. We all recognize that it had an adverse impact on the industry. It’s one of the worst affected industries because of all these factors.”
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