News
PM opens Prof. Senaka Bandaranaike Archaeological Field Training School
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs last Sunday opened Prof. Senaka Bandaranaike Archaeological Field Training School in Sigiriya. Ministers Janaka Bandara Tennakoon and Vidura Wickramanayake joined him in opening the school.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs last Sunday declared open Prof. Senaka Bandaranaike Archaeological Field Training School at Sigiriya.
The Field Training School built by the Central Cultural Fund at a cost of Rs. 50 million within the Sigiriya Archaeological Department premises would be the country’s premier training school for archaeologists to carry out practical and theoretical studies with residential facilities, the Prime Minister said.
The PM said that eminent Sri Lankan Archaeologist Prof. Senaka Bandaranayake had been a pioneer in the field of archeology such as environmental archeology, settlement archeology and ethnography. “He was the first Archaeological Director of the Sigiriya Project of the Cultural Triangle”.
The PM’s Office said that the Field School aimed to study historical archaeological context of Sri Lanka with pure scientific disciplines, provide the knowledge required for the objective function of scientific placement in time and space and to produce disciplined archaeologists.
This training school is also open to local and foreign archaeologists for their archeological work.
As a result of initiating archeological research on a multidisciplinary basis in conjunction with foreign universities, it was possible to identify the royal urban features of Sigiriya, identify the suburbs and factories, identify the settlement patterns of the people who lived there, and thereby study technical expertise, the PM’s Office has said.
Prof. Senaka Bandaranaike Field Training School of Archeology is equipped with lecture halls, laboratories and residential facilities.
Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, State Minister Vidura Wickramanayake, Members of Parliament Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, Rohana Kumara Dissanayake, Governor of the Central Province Lalith U. Gamage, Dambulla Mayor Jaliya Opatha, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Prof. Kapila Gunawardena were present on the occasion.
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
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