Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that alongside developing the necessary infrastructure for the digitalization of Sri Lanka’s education system, it is equally essential to develop quality educational content and provide proper training for teachers.

The Prime Minister made these remarks during a discussion held at the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday [May 08]  with representatives of Rotary International and a group of professionals from Sri Lanka’s software industry, facilitated by the Digital Task Force.

The Prime Minister pointed out that smart classrooms should not be limited to merely displaying YouTube videos, but must instead focus on creating high-quality digital educational content aligned with the national curriculum. She further stressed the importance of delivering all educational materials through an official government platform such as “e-Thaksalawa,” rather than through various private platforms, ensuring consistency and quality standards.

Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya also highlighted the need to implement digital training programmes centered around the 20 National Colleges of Education responsible for teacher training. She noted that familiarizing approximately 6,000 trainee teachers annually with digital technology could bring about a qualitative transformation within the school system.

During the discussion, it was revealed that steps are being taken to establish smart classrooms in 100 selected schools. Under the first phase, facilities will be provided to 50 schools, while the remaining 50 schools will receive the facilities in a later phase. Representatives of Rotary International stated that they are prepared to provide digital learning platforms to the Government free of charge and support the creation of educational content using modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Attention was also drawn to the importance of establishing a formal agreement-based mechanism between the Government and the private sector to ensure the long-term sustainability of these projects. Both parties held discussions on managing practical challenges such as electricity costs and internet connectivity expenses in schools while implementing the process in a systematic manner.

The Prime Minister further stated that a five-year plan for the digital transformation of the education system will be finalized in the near future and requested Rotary representatives to contribute in line with the priorities identified within the plan.

The discussion was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister A.B.M. Ashraf, officials from the Ministries of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, representatives of the Digital Task Force, and officials from Creative Software and Cambio Software Engineering.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

The Sri Lanka Navy demonstrated its commitment to maritime safety and assisted to bring ashore an injured fisherman and rushed him for urgent medical attention on Friday (08 May 26).

The fisherman was aboard a local multiday fishing trawler off the south coast and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo coordinated the retrieval of the fisherman.

Reportedly, the multi-day fishing trawler had set sail from the Galle Fisheries Harbour on 03 May with 07 fishermen. While engaged in fishing activities approximately 81 nautical miles off the south coast, one of the crew members suffered an injury.
Following a formal request for assistance, through MRCC Colombo, the Merchant Vessel ‘MT MAUI’ sailing in the nearby sea area had been informed to retrieve the patient.

In a rapid response, the Navy dispatched a craft attached to the Southern Naval Command to the designated sea area where the Merchant Vessel was to bring the fisherman ashore. Upon transferring the injured fisherman from the Merchant Vessel, naval personnel provided essential first aid to the injured person before swiftly bringing him to the Galle Harbour. Ensuring the patient received the necessary specialized care without delay, the Navy safely transferred the fisherman to the National Hospital, Galle.

Meanwhile, the Navy remains alert to such emergencies affecting the fishing and naval communities, in close coordination with MRCC Colombo.

A person has died after jumping an airport perimeter fence in the US state of Colorado and being struck by a Frontier Airlines plane, according to authorities.

Denver International Airport said the unusual incident occurred late Friday, after the unidentified individual gained access to the tarmac.

It said the “pedestrian jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway”.

A brief engine fire followed the collision, which was put out by emergency responders, according to the airport.

It said that 12 of the 231 people on board suffered minor injuries, with five hospitalised.

The airport said investigators had examined the fence line where the individual entered and “found it to be intact”.

It added that the struck individual “is not believed to be an employee of the airport”.

“We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved,” the airport said.

Both local authorities and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were investigating the incident.

Airport safety in the US came under renewed scrutiny earlier this year amid a prolonged shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which temporarily left both Transportation Security Agents (TSA) and air traffic controllers working without pay.

While instances of people being killed on airport tarmacs are rare, Friday’s incident came a day after a Delta employee was killed after an airport vehicle struck an airbridge at Orlando International Airport.

In March, two pilots were  killed after an Air Canada Express plane crashed into a fire-rescue vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

About 225,000 people travel through Denver International Airport a day.

[Aljazeera]