Business

XAMPLE – revolutionizing the virtual educational landscape of Sri Lanka

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/26

Novelwall Sri Lanka recently developed Xample – a virtual learning environment with powerful learning tools for children striving to achieve top grades at their GCE O/L and A/L examinations. Understanding that a well-rounded and thorough education is paramount to guiding the next generation to a better future, Novelwall launched Xample under the guidance of its founder, Thunku Ousmand.

Xample is an exciting initiative that aims to inculcate perseverance among students while nurturing a positive attitude towards challenges. This virtual learning environment provides students with an effective ‘Testing & Revision Tool,’ designed with many important features for students, parents and teachers on the journey towards achieving exam success. Xample further encourages students to challenge themselves, cultivating self-confidence and resilience, while simultaneously easing the burden of teachers and parents alike.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the surface the shortfalls of the existing education system in the country. Students were lacking engagement in their studies, as remote learning enhanced a disconnect between students and the classroom. In addition, the evaluation process for students with regard to their studies was hindered by the difficulties associated with monitoring in-class behaviour and activity. Students are unable to ask as many questions from teachers and are therefore unable to clarify their doubts, while teachers have lost their class control owing to the virtual environments and are unable to truly motivate students. These failings have been perceived by parents who have taken note of the lack of individual attention and detailed guidance required by students, especially those about to sit for the O/L and A/L examinations. This is, in part, due to the lack of understanding of examination and learning standards from the perspectives of teachers and students alike.

Xample, the brainchild of Thunku Ousmand was developed with these concerns in mind. As such, Xample consists of features that aim at improving and streamlining the online learning experience. Xample offers a testing and learning environment – unifying the process of studying, testing and revision, into one holistic seamless and enjoyable online experience that can bring students to the highest levels of proficiency for the GCE OL/AL examinations. Through its student-friendly online platform, and based on the four steps of learning (preparation, presentation, practice and performance), Xample allows any student to test his or her knowledge of the relevant subjects, with access to relevant past papers and model papers, and simultaneously learn from each mistake via the comprehensive study notes provided with every question. With access to over 25 years of exercises and questions from the best model papers in Sri Lanka, students are provided with a truly immersive experience of continuous testing and learning, as they work towards mastering their subjects. The platform recognizes areas in which students show significant errors and if a student selects subjects where they require improvement, the system will continue to revise the aforementioned areas by consistently testing the student on those areas until sufficient improvement is noticed.

Recognizing that practice makes perfect, this virtual learning environment encourages students to keep trying while familiarizing themselves with the protocol of real-time examinations. Following students’ attempts at each section, a complete analytical report is provided. With this advanced analytical reporting system, the platform can calculate how proficient the student is in every topic of any given subject so that the student, parent or teacher can see if the student has a grasp of the subject matter, and how well the student has performed in a testing environment. This advanced reporting system enables further insight into the likely possibilities of a student’s exam results based on their performance. As Xample can be accessed at any time, parents can track the activities of the student in real-time remotely without distracting the user. Furthermore, the absence of external ads and links in the platform ensures that students’ focus will not be diverted within the learning environment.

Speaking to Thunku Ousmand, the founder of Xample on the pioneering technology that has been introduced to the Sri Lankan educational landscape, “Without a shadow of a doubt, our younger generation, with the exposure to the world of education, has reached out beyond imagination on par with and quite often exceeding the skills of others across global landscapes. The progression of digital education in a global context has signified a gap between education in the developed world and under-developed countries. I believe that our nation too is ready to accept the inevitable transition towards the digitalisation of the education system and bridge this educational gap.”

“As one of the high-tech organisations in the UK which has the DNA of education and with prior partnerships with India to build digital platforms, we have a host of experience. Our Virtual Learning platform is not just a run-of-the-mill, multiple-choice platform for learning, but a dynamic environment that can gauge the level of a student’s competency in any subject. This is not an easy task to achieve. We encourage those that have the same vision to join us on our journey towards improving the overall education landscape in Sri Lanka, providing a way for future generations to be among the best in the world”, added Ousmand.

The educational landscape of Sri Lanka has far to go. Novelwall hopes that with the introduction of Xample, the overall standards of education might be uplifted. Students are the future. By providing them with the necessary steppingstones to unlocking their potential, they will likely grow from strength to strength, soaring beyond the boundaries of average education and exceeding expectations.

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Business

SpaceX IPO debuts in US markets, Musk becomes world’s first trillionaire

Published

6 mins ago

2026/06/13

Priyan

The Musk led company sold $75bn in shares before the market debut [Aljazeera]

SpaceX has debuted on US markets with a market valuation of more than $2 trillion, minting CEO Elon Musk as the world’s first trillionaire.

Shares opened on Friday at $150 per share, marking a 11 percent increase from the initial public offering (IPO) price of $135, valuing the company at $1.96 trillion and putting the aerospace company on track to become the sixth-largest company in the United States.

The stock surged 18 percent to $159 per share, up from the $135 it had been priced at, as the trading day came to a close.

Markets more broadly ticked higher amid a possible interim peace deal between the United States and Iran that could open the Strait of Hormuz. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 0.6 percent, the Nasdaq is up 0.2 percent, and the S&P 500 is up 0.35 percent as trading wraps up for the week.

The company sold $75bn in shares, immediately valuing it at $1.77 trillion. The IPO was oversubscribed four times higher than was otherwise expected, according to the Reuters news agency.

Of the institutional investors allocated, according to Bloomberg News, as much as 70 percent went to what are called long-only investments — a strategy in which holders buy assets based on the expectation that their value will grow over time — and sovereign wealth funds, including those from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as well.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen rang the opening bell at Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City at 9:30am local time as US markets opened.

On Thursday, protesters gathered outside the MarketSite to protest the IPO amid continued allegations that Grok, part of xAI, a subsidiary of SpaceX, allowed users to create non-consensual deepfake sexualised images before the IPO debut.

Shares of SpaceX did not trade until the middle of the trading day as the exchange collected buy and sell orders and underwriters delayed trading until supply and demand were balanced.

“We would expect SpaceX to see an immediate pop in trading due to the hype around the deal, north of 20 percent perhaps,” said Samuel Kerr, global head of equity capital markets at Mergermarket. “Anything lower would actually make me nervous.”

Exchanges and trading firms are eager to avoid the technical mishaps that marred Meta’s 2012 debut. With SpaceX widely viewed as a dress rehearsal for a new generation of mega-listings, market participants will also be watching for signals on investor appetite in advance of forthcoming IPOs for AI heavyweights Anthropic and OpenAI.

The landmark listing cemented Musk’s status as the first trillionaire ever and propelled SpaceX into the ranks of the world’s most valuable companies — even though the firm posted a loss of nearly $5bn last year and generated only a fraction of the revenue brought in by similarly valued tech giants.

The surge comes amid growth driven by its Starlink subsidiary, which drives as much as 80 percent of its revenue.

On Friday, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket with 29 satellites into space from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

[Aljazeera]

Business

Indo-Lanka Chamber hosts dialogue on Sri Lanka’s investment future

Published

3 hours ago

2026/06/13

Thilina Walpola

Interactive session with Aritha Wickramasinghe

The Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ILCCI), affiliated to The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, hosted an interactive session on Sri Lanka’s Investment Future: Policy, Opportunity & Growth at Jetwing Colombo Seven. The session was attended by Dr. Satyanjal Pandey as Chief Guest, while Aritha Wickramasinghe delivered the keynote address in his capacity as Chief of Staff to the Office of the Presidential Special Envoy on Foreign Investment, Hanif Yusoof.

ILCCI President M. Raghuraman, in his remarks, expressed appreciation to Dr. Pandey for his service during his tenure in Sri Lanka and underscored the timeliness and importance of the session topic in the context of the current global economic and geopolitical climate.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Pandey observed that in a period marked by geopolitical and economic turbulence – reliability, trustworthiness, and secure supply chains have become increasingly important. He also highlighted the strong and growing economic partnership between India and Sri Lanka, noting several significant Indian investments in Sri Lanka, including those by ITC Limited and CEAT Limited, while indicating that further investments are expected in the future.

As a representative of the state, Aritha Wickramasinghe stated that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that, even amid global turbulence, Sri Lanka remains stable in its policy direction, credible in its economic management, and consistent in its engagement with investors. He also emphasised the opportunities available to the Sri Lankan economy through deeper engagement with India’s fast-growing economy, noting that while India and Sri Lanka are neighbours, the relationship is regarded as one of family rather than mere proximity.

The session which included a highly engaging and interactive Q&A session with the audience, concluded with a productive exchange of views between the distinguished guests, speakers and participants, reaffirming the importance of continued dialogue and collaboration in strengthening investment and economic ties between Sri Lanka and India.

Business

Australia and Sri Lanka strengthen maritime security partnership

Published

3 hours ago

2026/06/13

Thilina Walpola

The Australian Border Force and Sri Lanka Coast Guard have launched Disi Rela 2026, marking the third consecutive year of the joint maritime security initiative aimed at strengthening maritime surveillance, operational capability, and public awareness across Sri Lanka’s coastal regions.

This year, Disi Rela 2026 expands its community engagement and public awareness activities to Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, following successful activations conducted in the Western and Southern Provinces in previous years.

Meaning “keeping a watchful eye over the maritime environment,” Disi Rela reflects the continued partnership between Australia and Sri Lanka to strengthen maritime security, combat transnational maritime crime, and promote safer seas across the region. Through intelligence sharing, operational cooperation, advanced equipment support, and public awareness initiatives, both countries continue to work together to address threats including people smuggling, drug trafficking, illegal fishing, and other unlawful maritime activities.

Over the past three years, the Australian Government has supported Sri Lanka’s maritime security efforts under the Disi Rela initiative through the donation of 24 surveillance drones, three all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), three Stabicraft patrol vessels, and the establishment of a dedicated 24/7 hotline number — 106.

Further strengthening Sri Lanka Coast Guard’s operational capability, the Australian Government will donate an additional five all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) under Disi Rela 2026 to support coastal surveillance and rapid response operations.

In reflecting upon the continued partnership and shared commitment of both nations to safeguard Sri Lanka’s maritime boundaries and coastal communities, the Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard,