Features

Starting work at WHO in Geneva with the Community Based Rehabilitation Project

Published

3 years ago

2023/07/9

(Excerpted from Memories that linger: My journey in the world of disability by Padmani Mendis)

All arrangements were made for travel on May 14. In those days the Swiss visa was obtained over the counter. Flights were frequent. Ticketing by Swiss Air was quick and easy. And made easier by an accessible manager. Punctual departure, smooth take off, much napping on the flight, it did not seem long before I awoke to hear our arrival in Geneva being announced.

As I looked out of the window dawn was just breaking. And what an astounding scenic feast awaited my eyes. The glow of the early sunrise bathing over beautiful snow-capped mountain peaks of all shapes and sizes stretching out forever. And the culmination of it – Mont Blanc rising majestically above them in all its glorious purity. So wondrous was the site that the pilot took us round twice over so we could drink in that vista. He took us as close as he could safely take us, so close that one felt one could almost touch the glorious mountain. It was a brief but exceptional experience never to be had again in all my flights over those Swiss mountains.

Thank you, Captain. I can still see Mont Blanc as it was that beautiful morning in May even as I write about it here, 43 years later.

In Geneva, I met Gunnel for the first time and we connected immediately. It was as though we had known each other forever. She and Einar were friends already, having worked together in Gothenburg, she as Head of Occupational Therapy and he as the Internal Medicine Specialist in charge of the Department of Rehabilitation. The three of us spent but little time on pleasantries and sat down together immediately to start our work on developing “Community Oriented Rehabilitation”. In this we were being very Swedish – time is too precious to be wasted.

We spent much time discussing the possible strategy that Einar had conceived and how it could be put on the ground. Then Einar would go off to attend to his other responsibilities in the unit while Gunnel and I actually started putting the ideas we had developed down on paper. Over the next few years we would be together in Geneva like this may be a couple of times a year, sharing our field experiences and our real-life learning. Using that to improve our materials and setting ever higher our goals aimed at a better life for disabled people.

And then to go away again to carry out more evaluation and gain more learning.

Community-Based Rehabilitation or CBR

During one such discussion in the early days we knew we had not got something quite right. “Orienting” rehabilitation to communities does not go quite far enough, we agreed. What we were discussing was something far deeper, penetrating the communities in which disabled people lived, promoting ownership of the rehabilitation process by those community members and disabled people together. For we knew from our own experiences and discussions with others that change would come only with ownership of, and responsibility for, the process of change.

Then Eureka! We got it right. Rehabilitation must be based in the Community we exclaimed almost together. It must be part of the fabric of each community. What we are talking about is Community-Based Rehabilitation. And so the term was born. Einar immediately went further. Ever the innovator, “We can shorten it to CBR,” he said.

And that is how the world came to know it – CBR, at that time as it does today.

The use of the word “based” had also another very important implication. We knew that all rehabilitation tasks could not be carried out at the community level. Support from outside would no doubt be required to assist them to solve those problems that they could not solve by themselves. The term CBR implied that a supporting structure was called for.

Einar

Einar had come to take up his post at WHO some four years earlier. His high level of intellect and intensively scientific mind is combined with an unlimited visionary outlook. All of which makes him a truly unique individual. For disability globally he was the right man at the right time at the right job. His concern was for the poor and the needy, the vulnerable, the marginalised, the neglected.

And that concern knew no bounds. Son of a Swedish Bishop, he grew up when poverty was the norm in Sweden. Before the Swedes discovered the value of the abundance of trees that nature had blessed their land with. He told me how he would see individuals rummaging in garbage bins where he grew up in Stockholm in the same way he saw people now in the poorer countries that he visited.

He was a sensitive individual. It was no surprise that he made it his first priority when he came to WHO to address the issues related to disabled people in developing countries. Issues of discrimination, disregard and destitution.

To understand these issues deeply, he selected a few countries to visit. Important to him was to reach rural areas where those most in need lived, to talk with them and their family members and others who lived in their neighbourhood. This gave him an understanding of how such people dealt with their problems and took steps to overcome them in the here and now. Because these people just had to. Life would have not been possible had they not.

One such country he chose to visit was in the Middle East. A recent disaster was created when poisoned cooking oil had been consumed by a significant section of the population. Many people, including a large number of children, had been paralysed by the poison. Various parts of their body had been affected. As a result, some had been unable to walk, others to move their legs or trunks, still others to use their arms. Einar was struck by the resilience of these people whose lives had been shattered by the cooking oil. The disaster impacted heavily on the severe financial and other difficulties most faced. It impacted on their day to day living and on their quality of life.

And yet these people had, to a large extent, reduced this impact by overcoming the effects the poison had on their bodies. Spending time with these people, Einar saw how mothers had made bars in their garden using branches of trees so that their children could hold onto them, use their legs to make them stronger and be able to walk again. He saw adults using suitably-shaped tree branches as crutches to enable them to walk and attend to farming. He talked with others who had been unable to move about make simple trolleys on which they could get to where they wanted, even involving themselves in trading.

In other countries he visited he met people who were deaf communicating with neighbours and others in their villages using simple signs which they had developed themselves. He saw blind people moving around the neighbourhood with a stick to guide them so that they were not isolated at home.

These visits constituted valuable learning for Einar. The learning converted into a seed from which grew the strategy that the world came to know and practice as Community-Based Rehabilitation or CBR.

Putting Learning into Practice and the Role of SIDA

Now he had to put the ideas he derived from the learning he acquired to WHO and get approval for action. Protocol required that he prepare an analysis of the situation of disabled people in developing countries to justify the recommendations he would make to WHO for a policy change. Preparing the policy document was a long process.

It was ultimately approved by WHO in 1978. The new policy direction was at that time called “Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation”. Later the programme name was changed to “Rehabilitation”.

Once approval was obtained, Einar had to seek extra budgetary funding to set in motion the beginnings of policy implementation. The Swedish International Development Agency or SIDA was particularly partial to the less fortunate in this world. The WHO’s new policy direction was attractive to them and they came to be a partner of the rehabilitation programme for the next decade or so. It is thanks to SIDA that Community-Based Rehabilitation was developed globally benefiting so many disabled people and their families throughout the developing world.

And it is also thanks to SIDA that Einar, Gunnel and I were now together in Geneva working on the CBR strategy and drafting a Manual that would start putting this policy into action. Then having done this, we would evaluate the practice of these in the field. Development of the CBR strategy with the Manual and its evaluation took until 1989. The Manual called “Training in the Community for People with Disabilities” became an official WHO publication that year. It was said by WHO some years ago that this Manual had been translated into over sixty languages and used in over 100 countries.

First Tasks

Carrying out these first tasks in Geneva in 1979 was no easy job. Drafting a Manual was arduous and exhausting. The first step was involving as many people as was practically possible and with them, collecting information. For this the assistance provided by a volunteer was invaluable. She had space in our room, joined us at our desk and sent off letters to as many sources as she could contact in any and every part of the world to seek their views on a possible strategy and its implementation.

Then she collated and tabulated the replies she received. Helen was from Australia. Her husband, a medical specialist was on contract to WHO for two years. Helen, herself a medical specialist but with no formal job had time on her hands, some of which she spent willingly with us.

As for Gunnel and me, one of our earliest tasks was to go round the “House” as the headquarters was often referred to. We met divisional heads and other officials in those departments that were relevant to disability and to what we were doing. These included for example mental health, accident prevention, blindness and deafness prevention, nursing, medical education and so on.

The response of most was seldom a positive or an encouraging one. Many were frankly discouraging. Some indicating that the idea of introducing rehabilitation strategies at community level was sheer madness. Which had Gunnel and I sometimes return to our room, close the door and shed buckets of tears. What were these people telling us? Did they not understand, not care? Where were we going?

Together we shared a strong belief with Einar that this was definitely the way to go and with this shared belief we overcame all obstacles. I recall one outstanding personality who gave us his wholehearted support from the word go. He was Jean Jacques Gilbert or JJ, a specialist in Medical Education and Head of that Department. He had done pioneering work in objectives-based teaching and evaluation of learning and was continuing to develop materials for medical education on these lines.

Einar and he shared a relationship based on mutual respect; each had an independent spirit and confidence in what the other was doing. Gunnel and I believed that what brought them together also was the antipathy to them shown by other professionals in the House. We believed also that the antipathy was a result of some envy of the intellectual and visionary capacity and the pioneering spirit demonstrated by both JJ and Einar.

Gunnel and I also grew a relationship of mutual respect with JJ. Over the next few years on our many stints in Geneva, Gunnel and I often turned to him for advice when we were stuck. The materials we developed were for self-learning, objectives-based and facilitated self-evaluation. So JJ’s advice was invaluable.

For me from Sri Lanka, his manner was sometimes embarrassing. Being a Frenchman and a gallant one at that, he would insist on greeting me by raising my hand to kiss the back of it with a bow, a real old-fashioned French style of greeting. This happened even when we met on a corridor. Strangely enough he never did that with Gunnel and that made me wonder, why not?

Gunnel and I experienced interactions within the House that resulted in both highs and lows for us. Neither of us liked the atmosphere that prevailed within it at that time, perhaps because we were women consultants, a relative rarity. But we loved our work and nothing could keep us away from that House.

Gathering More Information to Complete a Draft

Our initial work of gathering views and recommendations extended beyond the House to other institutions in Geneva. These included ILO, the International Labour Organisation, where we met Mr. Brown, a chubby, pleasant individual from England. He was supportive of our work from the time we told him of it. He cooperated with us to develop the strategy and evaluated those sections that were relevant to work, particularly the module on income generation.

Mr. Brown was responsible for having ILO formally recognised as a co-producer of the draft Manual with the ILO logo alongside that of WHO on the cover. So did UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO have their logos on the cover.

Gunnel and I also visited UNESCO in Paris to meet Lena Saleh from Jordan. Lena was the single worker in the Special Education Section as it was then called, fighting a lone battle to improve the education of disabled children. The way she fought this battle alone was by producing booklets and other material for distribution and use in developing countries. One person alone in Paris reaching and impacting the right to education of many thousands of children and their teachers who were far away. Einar and Lena were good friends, their common approach to work bringing them together.

The Manual “Training in the Community for People with Disabilities”: Knowledge is Power

The WHO Manual “Training in the Community for People with Disabilities” or TCPD contains knowledge, and Knowledge is Power. This is the overall, the primary purpose of the Manual. That disabled people, their families and their communities will have power; power in their own hands to change their situations. Today we call this empowerment. That word empowerment was not used then, but here was the concept of empowerment in practice.

In the absence of knowledge together with the power to use it and to know how to use it, no change is possible. The overall design and content of the Manual has therefore a dual role: one, how to change their situation which was called the CBR strategy, and two, the CBR technology. The technology was actions made possible with knowledge and skills. The Manual has also built into it a monitoring and evaluation system to check that both are working.

A term that was not used at the time the Manual was first drafted, was community mobilisation. But this process of community mobilisation is the foundation of CBR. It is described in the Manual as including the following: bringing members of a community together, enabling them to talk about any problems within their group related to disability, discussing the resources they themselves had to deal with such problems and what more they may need, making available to them the knowledge and skills they need to do these, providing them with the support they needed and making all this sustainable.

In a nutshell, this is the CBR process. The Manual was not designed for professionals. It was essentially for CBR implementation within rural communities. With some adaptations it was also used in urban communities

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Features

Sections of US media looking power straight in the eye

Published

23 hours ago

2026/10/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Trump addressing the media at the White House.(BBC)

Some fundamental freedoms seen to be at the heart of democracy in the US – religion, speech, the press, assembly and the right to petition the government – are at risk of being undermined at present by the country’s Executive President. However, the latter is being legally challenged on this score by some sections of the US media and the citizenry of the country could take heart from this notable defense of media freedom.

In fact this is good news for the world of democracy. The push back is coming from organizations such as CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC who constitute the nucleus as it were of the US media and their solidarity no less than their resourcefulness calls for commendation.

Following a recent White House decision to suspend CNN from what was referred to as ‘participation in presidential pool coverages’, the other media organizations mentioned refused to replace it in the pool. Their position was that the public had a right to receive ‘accurate and independent information about the government.’

Earlier, the White House decided to bar MS NOW and Politico from entering its premises following the restrictions imposed on CNN. The organizations were accused of publishing “FAKE NEWS’ , ‘Fiction’ and ‘lies’ in respect of the administration. These organizations lost no time in initiating a federal lawsuit accusing the central administration of violating their rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

However, the latter litigating organizations could now consider themselves as having been vindicated because the federal court hearing their case has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore White House press access to journalists from the mentioned media institutions. Notably, the court has declared that the ban is ‘likely unconstitutional’. The case is proceeding.

The mass media of the most vibrant democracies of the West ought to be no strangers to such inspirational acts of solidarity and exemplifications of independence but there are lessons here for the democracies of the South that could stand them in good stead. Minus the right of a people to be informed, the rest of fundamental rights featuring in Southern Bills of Rights and legislation of the kind are bereft of substance and meaning.

It is informed decision-making on the part of a citizenry that makes for democratic vibrancy and on this score many a Southern democracy fails. While Southern publics generally demand of their governments continuous economic well being and substantive material benefits they are not equally desirous of being informed and knowledgeable.

This lacuna in the consciousness of many Southern publics enables their governments ‘to get off the hook’, so to speak and govern, or more often misgovern, their countries with impunity. Among other factors, this species of mass ignorance makes it possible for governments to dismantle democracy and rule in perpetuity.

Accordingly, an educated and constantly informed public is an essential precondition for the flourishing of democracy and independent media are integral to this process. Minus an independent mass media sector that meets the knowledge needs of the people responsibly, democracy is as good as dead.

Needless to say, those sections of the US media that are currently taking the Trump administration to task over its media curbs are acutely aware of the cruciality of these fundamental knowledge requirements.

The hope of democratic opinion worldwide and locally is likely to be that media independence would thrive in the manner in which it is flourishing in the most vibrant and accountable democracies of the West.

Southern countries such as Sri Lanka that lay claim to democratic credentials, but are democracy-deficient in many ways, need to be particularly cognizant of these requirements. The publics of these countries need to go the extra mile to ensure the thriving of an independent but responsible mass media sector.

In fact it is veritably a matter of life and death. It is only an independent media sector that could, while ensuring the existence of an informed public, impress on the latter the need to protect and perpetuate its fundamental rights. In the absence of these campaigns, such publics could be eventually having on their hands governments that boast of ruling in perpetuity.

Taking a leaf from the sections of the US media referred to independent media organizations in Southern states need to act in solidarity as well. They would need to act on the basis of the principle that acts of victimization suffered by members in their fold at the hands of governments, for instance, are in fact inimical acts directed at their collectivity and which call for united remedial action. In short, no independent mass media institution could see itself as ‘an island’.

Besides some general guidance on the importance of media independence and solidarity, the message coming from the US with regard to media praxis is that power must be stood-up to unblinkingly. The mentioned sections of the US media are primarily in a struggle to ward off encroachments on their independence in the areas of policy and practice by the political executive, that is the President.

The latter would ride rough-shod over the media in the absence of robust opposition by the media itself to inimical executive action of this kind.

While media independence needs to be seen as crucial to democratic development, an obligation is cast on the media to ensure that it uses such independence responsibly and constructively.

The worst that could afflict a media sector is for it to fall prey to the clichetic ‘freedom of the wild ass’. In fact recurring irresponsibility on the part of the media could lend credence to the perception that a tightly regulated media is best for a country. It is a short step from this misguided view to the position that political authoritarianism is best for a state. That turn of events would be of course catastrophic for a democracy.

The issues discussed thus far point to the need for a broad discourse among Southern democracies in particular on what is best for them in this connection. Given the risks underscored earlier for Southern countries in particular a broad discussion on the matters at hand, which includes the public, emerges as a must for Sri Lanka. Besides, media solidarity within democratic countries and internationally is a must.

Features

What lessons can be learned to improve quality of Sri Lanka’s Grade 6 syllabus

Published

23 hours ago

2026/10/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

by Prof. M. W. Amarasiri de Silva

Following public controversy over an inappropriate web link found in an English study module, the Sri Lankan government formally deferred the full rollout of the Grade 6 curriculum reforms to January 2027. In the interim, state schools will maintain the existing syllabus, reverting to standard eight-period daily timetables and previous textbooks to ensure uninterrupted instruction. Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that this temporary pause allows the Education Ministry to thoroughly review all instructional materials, fix editorial flaws, and conduct scientific impact assessments across pilot schools prior to nation-wide implementation.

To address the oversight, an expert committee evaluated the flawed materials, completed necessary amendments, and finalised discussions to resubmit corrected modules for printing. Beyond revising written texts, the Ministry established a broader preparation roadmap—allocating funds for extensive teacher training programs set to begin mid-year, alongside scheduled informational briefings for parents, teachers, and students. Prime Minister Amarasuriya reaffirmed that none of the valid first-term modules were completely discarded or scrapped, preserving state resources while systematically rebuilding public trust and strengthening quality assurance protocols.

In this respect, this article reviews the current grade 6 syllabus comparing it with similar syllabi of India and the USA, with a view to make recommendations for the upcoming grade 6 syllabus revision.

Architecture of nation’s future

Education is the quiet architecture of a nation’s future. It is the unseen scaffolding upon which generations build their character, their intellect, and their capacity to contribute meaningfully to society. In Sri Lanka, the Grade 6 syllabus occupies a particularly important place in this architecture. It is the bridge between primary learning and the more demanding intellectual terrain of secondary education. It is the moment when children begin to move from learning basic facts to understanding concepts, from memorising information to applying knowledge, and from passive reception to active engagement. Yet, despite its importance, the Grade 6 curriculum in Sri Lanka has long struggled with issues of breadth, depth, relevance, and pedagogy. As global education systems evolve, Sri Lanka must examine what lessons can be learned from international models—particularly India and the United States—to strengthen its own curriculum and prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

The first lesson Sri Lanka can learn is the value of conceptual clarity. India’s NCERT curriculum, especially in Mathematics and Science, is globally respected for its logical progression and conceptual depth. Indian students are introduced early to the idea that mathematics is not merely a set of procedures but a language of reasoning. They learn why a ratio works, not just how to compute one. They understand the structure of an equation, not merely the steps to solve it. In Science, they explore the properties of materials, the structure of plants, and the principles of motion with a clarity that encourages curiosity rather than rote memorisation.

Sri Lanka’s Grade 6 syllabus, while competency-based, often leans heavily toward content coverage. Students are expected to learn many topics, but the time allocated for each is limited, and the teaching culture often emphasizes memorisation over understanding. If Sri Lanka wishes to improve the quality of its syllabus, it must embrace the idea that fewer topics taught well are better than many topics taught superficially. Conceptual mastery builds confidence, and confidence builds lifelong learners.

Lesson from the US

A second lesson comes from the United States, where the curriculum is built around skills rather than content. American students in Grade 6 are expected to read complex texts, analyse arguments, write essays supported by evidence, conduct experiments, and engage in collaborative projects. The emphasis is not on how much they know but on what they can do with what they know. This skills-based approach encourages critical thinking, creativity, and independence—qualities essential for success in the modern world.

Sri Lanka’s syllabus, by contrast, often rewards students for reproducing information rather than interpreting it. The exam culture reinforces this tendency, as students are assessed primarily through written tests that measure recall. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must integrate more opportunities for students to think, question, debate, and create. The classroom should become a space where students learn to solve problems, not just memorize solutions.

Another important lesson comes from the breadth of Sri Lanka’s own curriculum. One of the strengths of the Sri Lankan system is its inclusion of cultural and religious education. Subjects such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity provide moral grounding and cultural identity. Art, Music, Drama, and Health contribute to holistic development. These subjects remind students that education is not merely about academic achievement but about becoming a balanced human being. However, breadth without depth can become burdensome. Grade 6 students in Sri Lanka often juggle more than ten subjects, each with its own textbook, competencies, and assessments. This creates pressure not only for students but also for teachers, who must rush through content to meet syllabus requirements. The lesson here is not to reduce cultural subjects but to integrate them more meaningfully. Religious education can be taught through ethical discussions, community projects, and reflective writing. Art and Music can be connected to history, literature, and social studies. Health can be linked to science and physical education. Integration reduces overload while enriching learning.

Another lesson from India

India offers another valuable lesson in the form of standardised textbooks. NCERT books are used across the country, ensuring consistency in quality and content. They are written by subject experts, reviewed rigorously, and updated periodically. Sri Lanka’s textbooks, while generally well-structured, vary in quality and often lag behind modern pedagogical standards. Some are dense, text-heavy, and lacking in visual aids or real-world examples. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must invest in high-quality textbooks that are engaging, accessible, and aligned with contemporary educational research. Textbooks should not merely transmit information; they should inspire curiosity. They should include stories, diagrams, experiments, and activities that make learning enjoyable and meaningful.

The United States provides a lesson in inquiry-based science education. American students conduct experiments, build models, observe natural phenomena, and engage in engineering design challenges. They learn science not as a set of facts but as a process of discovery. Sri Lanka’s science curriculum includes experiments, but many schools lack the resources, laboratory facilities, or teacher training to implement them effectively. Improving the syllabus requires improving the ecosystem around it. Schools need laboratories, equipment, and teacher development programs that empower educators to teach science through inquiry. A syllabus is only as strong as the environment in which it is taught. ***

International models

Another area where Sri Lanka can learn from international models is language education. In India, students often learn three languages—English, Hindi, and Sanskrit or Urdu. This heavy language load has its challenges, but it also produces students with strong linguistic skills. In the United States, English Language Arts emphasises reading complex texts, writing arguments, and analysing literature. Sri Lanka’s English curriculum, while improving, still struggles with uneven implementation across schools. Many students reach secondary school without adequate proficiency in English, limiting their access to global knowledge. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must strengthen English instruction through better teacher training, more reading opportunities, and a shift from grammar-heavy teaching to communication-focused learning. At the same time, Sinhala and Tamil instruction should be modernised to include creative writing, literature appreciation, and critical reading.

Social Studies is another area ripe for improvement. Sri Lanka’s curriculum includes History, Geography, and Civics, but the teaching often emphasises memorization of dates, definitions, and facts. India’s Social Science curriculum, while also content-heavy, provides clearer conceptual frameworks. The United States, however, excels in teaching civics and citizenship. American students learn how governments function, how laws are made, how communities solve problems, and how citizens participate in democracy. Sri Lanka can strengthen its Civics curriculum by incorporating more discussions on governance, rights, responsibilities, and community engagement. Students should learn not only the structure of government but also the values that sustain it—justice, equality, and participation.

One of the most important lessons Sri Lanka can learn is the value of reducing exam pressure. In both India and Sri Lanka, exams dominate the educational landscape. Students are judged primarily by their ability to perform on written tests. The United States, while not free from assessment challenges, uses a wider range of evaluation methods—projects, presentations, portfolios, and continuous assessment. These methods allow students to demonstrate learning in diverse ways. Sri Lanka should consider adopting a more balanced assessment system that values creativity, collaboration, and practical skills alongside academic knowledge.

Technology integration is another area where Sri Lanka can improve. The United States incorporates digital literacy, coding, online research, and digital citizenship into the curriculum. Sri Lanka’s ICT syllabus is well-structured, but implementation varies widely. Many schools lack computers, internet access, or trained ICT teachers. Improving the syllabus requires improving infrastructure. Students must learn to navigate the digital world safely and effectively. They must learn coding not as a luxury but as a basic skill. They must learn to evaluate online information critically, a skill essential in an era of misinformation.

Teacher training

Teacher training is perhaps the most critical lesson of all. A syllabus is only as effective as the teachers who deliver it. India invests heavily in teacher training through national programs, workshops, and online platforms. The United States emphasises professional development, peer collaboration, and instructional coaching. Sri Lanka must strengthen its teacher training programmes, ensuring that educators understand not only what to teach but how to teach it. Teachers should be trained in inquiry-based learning, differentiated instruction, formative assessment, and classroom management. They should be empowered to adapt the syllabus to the needs of their students rather than follow it mechanically.

Sri Lanka must learn the lesson of relevance. A syllabus must prepare students not only for exams but for life. It must teach them how to think, how to communicate, how to solve problems, and how to work with others. It must prepare them for a world where knowledge is abundant, but wisdom is scarce. It must help them navigate a future shaped by technology, globalisation, environmental challenges, and social change. To improve the syllabus, Sri Lanka must ask: What kind of citizens do we want to produce? What kind of thinkers? What kind of leaders? The answers to these questions should shape the curriculum.

Lastly, improving the quality of Sri Lanka’s Grade 6 syllabus requires learning from both international models and local strengths. From India, Sri Lanka can learn the value of conceptual clarity and standardised textbooks. From the United States, it can learn the importance of skills, inquiry, and creativity. From its own traditions, it can preserve cultural education, moral development, and holistic learning. The goal is not to copy another country’s system but to build a uniquely Sri Lankan curriculum that is modern, relevant, and empowering. A curriculum that honours the past while preparing students for the future. A curriculum that nurtures thinkers, creators, and compassionate citizens. A curriculum worthy of a nation with immense potential and a proud educational heritage. If Sri Lanka embraces these lessons, the Grade 6 syllabus can become not just a bridge to secondary education but a foundation for national progress.

Features

Three magical nights at Colombo Fashion Week

Published

23 hours ago

2026/10/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Melloney Dassanayaka is certainly a familiar name here, and abroad, as well, having represented Sri Lanka at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant, held in Mexico.

A former National Basketball player, she is also involved in several projects, beneficial to the community, including financial literacy for single women-headed families in the country.

A banker by profession, Melloney hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Melloney with Asanka de Mel of Lovi Sri Lanka

This extremely talented old girl of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, was in the limelight, once more, when she was seen on the ramp at Colombo Fashion Week.

It was her very first experience, at this prestigious event, and she loved every minute of it, she said, and, what’s more, she was featured on three consecutive days.

According to the itinerary, on day 01 she walked for Lovi Sri Lanka; day 02 Rizwan Beyg (Pakistan designer), Arsath Furkhan (Indian designer), Haoyi Yan (Chinese designer) and Samant Chauhan (Indian designer); and on day 03 Vaishali Shandangule (Indian designer).