News
Prashan to deliver Shelton Wirasinha oration
Wesley College Colombo will host the annual ‘Shelton Wirasinha Oration’ at 5.30 pm on Monday, 24th November 2025, at the College Main Hall.
The Oration will be delivered by prominent Old Boy, Prashan De Visser, and is open to the public.
For over two decades, Arthur Shelton Wirasinha stood at the helm of Wesley College, guiding it through some of its most formative years. Serving as Principal from 1962 to 1983, his leadership defined an era marked by academic excellence, discipline, and deep humanity.
A product of Richmond College, Galle, where he later served as teacher, headmaster, vice principal and principal, before taking over the leadership of Wesley, he brought with him not only his formidable intellect but also the warmth and sincerity of a true educator
Those who studied under him remember a man of quiet authority – firm yet compassionate, eloquent yet humble. He believed education was not merely about producing scholars, but nurturing citizens of character and conscience. Generations of Wesleyites, now spread across the world, carry with them the values he instilled: integrity, humility, and service to others.
“The annual Shelton Wirasinha Oration as a tribute to that legacy – a moment when the Wesley family, past and present, gathers ’neath the Double Blue to honour a Principal whose influence continues to echo through the halls of the College”, says Principal, Wesley College Colombo, Avanka Fernando.
Delivering this year’s Oration, Prashan De Visser brings with him the same spirit of leadership and dedication that Mr. Wirasinha so greatly inspired. A respected youth advocate, social entrepreneur, and founder of Sri Lanka Unites, Prashan has spent his career empowering young people to become catalysts for peace and reconciliation.
A proud Old Wesleyite, he has represented Sri Lanka on numerous global platforms, promoting dialogue, democracy, and ethical leadership. His address this year will reflect on “Beyond the Boundaries of Self-Ambition”
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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