Features

A new set of upwardly mobile youngsters

Published

11 months ago

2025/07/13

Thilina Walpola

C. W. W. Kannangara

“Sri Lanka’s free education policy, a landmark achievement, was introduced in 1945 by

Dr C W W Kannangara. This policy ensures that all citizens, from primary to university level, have access to free education. It was a pivotal moment in the then Ceylon’s history, significantly expanding education opportunities and contributing to high literacy rates.”

Previous to this date the government (British with local administrators) ran rural schools, mostly primary or secondary. Missionary schools dotted the island with foreign principals and even teachers of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Baptist denominations in which the medium of instruction was English. To counter them, Buddhist schools were started in many major cities and later came the Hindu and Muslim schools.

The city dwellers, the elite, those with incomes, gave their children the benefit of education up to senior secondary and gradually beyond when University College, Medical College and Law College were inaugurated.

Central Schools were established as part of a nationwide initiative to provide free quality education, particularly in rural areas, starting in 1943. This initiative was spearheaded by Dr C W W Kannangara again, often referred to as the ‘Father of Free Education’. These schools aimed to offer comprehensive education to students selected from a defined geographical area, typically within a six–mile radius. The initial launch in 1943 established eleven central schools which quickly expanded to 23 and then 54 by 1944, with one school per electorate. It was with the addition of these Madyama Maha Vidyalayas added to the Maha Vidyalayas that promoted the upward mobility of the middle and lower middle class rural children. After independence from British rule in Ceylon, many students of these schools were taking their place in the administrative service of the government at higher positions. These schools are now called National Schools.

The above is an introduction to my subject because my focus is on children of working class families: farmers, office aides (peons), three wheeler owners/drivers and even daily paid labourers. I prefer my Nan articles to be subjective and so I mean to present a couple of examples of present day and very recent past individuals and families of a couple of upwardly mobile youngsters of the new group.

Area rule for university entrants

I quote again from my search on the Internet: “University admissions are governed by the University Grants Commission and utilize a system that combines merit and district quotas. This system aims to balance academic excellence with equitable access across different districts. District quotas allocate a proportion of places in each course to students from each district based on its population,” The area rule or district quota system for university admissions came into effect in 1972, alongside standardization policy.

A side effect of this good policy was that students from big cities were discriminated against. A four subject pass at the university entrance exam from a college student in a big city –Jaffna and Colombo particularly – were kept out of university unless their results were exceptionally high while a student from Badulla with three passes gained entrance for medical study. Uva was considered a very deprived province. Such a girl was identified to receive my mother’s savings when she died. I befriended Anula, who was in Medical College, University of Ruhuna , and helped her further. She visited and stayed with me several times and then was posted to the Kandy General Hospital. In appreciation, she wanted me to be witness to her marriage to a fellow doctor. She kept in touch with me as she settled down to marriage and raising a family in a Mahaveli system. I gathered she was a humane doctor. Many like her benefitted from the area rule. She was clever, bright and sharp. She wrote letters to me in Sinhala. I suggested she attempt English letter writing. Within three months she was fluent.

Cases of now

More recent cases. A vendor near the Fresh Fish outlet I go to for my week’s supply of fish would sell vegetables on the pavement of an adjacent building. His ware was manioc and all kinds of fresh green vegetables. One Saturday he was absent. Next, I asked him what happened to him the previous Saturday. My daughter got married, he said, and elaborated with no hubris: She is a doctor and married a businessman. He continued his vegetable selling business.

Asoka was a rescued JVPer then aged 18 with a very strict mother and mild father. He was sent to an uncle’s home for safety. He learnt driving and was given a van in charge of; his uncle being an entrepreneur in the tourist industry. Then came the tsunami and business dried up. Asoka managed to lease out a van from his uncle and conveyed benefactors and their supplies to tsunami devastated areas. One Sinhala couple, resident in the UK, was served by him and there developed a friendship of gratitude from his side and appreciation from theirs. They returned to live in Sri Lanka and helped him by buying him a house and helping with his growing family of three. He dabbled in business; construction of houses et al. But his income would shoot up or sink low. He was now employed as a driver in an embassy and his honesty, dedication to his job and loyalty to his employer earned him the respect of most of those he worked for. His wife was a Roman Catholic and entered his eldest daughter to a convent in the outskirts of Colombo that ran an English medium stream, which this girl joined. The second in the family – a son – studied in a private school that had all teaching in English.

The story moves to the two young ones. They were superb students and both entered the Colombo University offering Math and Statistics. Both passed their honours first degrees with classes. While in university, the girl applied for a job advertised by a prestigious garment business. Though the ad called for a graduate, she was employed though still to sit her finals. With her BSc honours degree with an upper class, she wished to proceed to the US to continue her higher studies. Her results, complemented by her English ability, got her a position in a North Carolina University where she was paid for teaching freshers, and granted access to their Master’s degree course. Her husband of a couple of months followed her soon enough to the same university. That was just before Prez Trump vented his revenge on universities starting with Harvard, which it was said refused Baron Trump’s entrance as an undergraduate student.

A fact to prove my point that working class families’ children are going places, delightfully and with honour, is that the young man’s father was the chef in an important establishment. The Secretary General of the establishment had paid for his only son’s American education in the same university that the chef’s son is now in.

Many three wheeler drivers’ children are also graduates and even doctors produced by our local universities. I know two sons of peasant farmers of Polonnaruwa who have graduated in IT and related subjects from the Universities of Jaffna and Ruhuna. These two I WhatsApp chat with so they improve their English speaking. This talking between Talk Mates is an innovative method introduced by Capt. Elmo Jayawardena through his most helpful Candle Aid charity organisation. These two are only children in their families. Thus, the very comforting supposition that the population of the island is not now increasing greatly. We may soon have negative growth. As a friend says, large families are a curse. I agree that it is an impediment to poverty alleviation and upward mobility of young ones.

Thus, in addition to free education and implementation of the area rule, children of blue collar workers, informal sector daily wage earners, and even domestic aides are taking the chances offered to them to climb the education and employment ladders. The education system receiving particular attention from the NPP government with Dr Harini Amarasuriya heading it, is also a blessing. However, the disaster of the Sinhala Only policy still dogs us.

Good for the new generation of keen students! Good for their striving parents and good for the country too!

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Features

Proactive peacemaking becomes a paramount need

Published

17 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wasting wars: Some war-displaced people in Lebanon. BBC

It may be some time before the full impact of food inflation is felt in the West. Until such time the world would continue to keep itself in suspense over whether the Trump administration is in earnest when it seeks to convey the impression that it is backing a negotiated solution in West Asia.

As is usually the case, consumer stress would be one of the final determinants of political change. To the degree to which the average US consumer somehow ‘muddles through’ and puts the food on the table, to the same extent would the Republican sections of the US public in particular be tolerant of the Trump administration’s inconsistent handling of the West Asian war and the main issues stemming from it. That is, there would be no grave popular disaffection and a demand for political change in the short term.

However, the indications are that the Trump administration’s support base is suffering some erosion in the wake of the current economic crisis. While reports indicate that Democratic sections are firming-up their opposition to the political centre, Republican support for Trump is also showing signs of waning, we are given to understand.

The above developments are probably why Trump is on record as having given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘dressing down’ recently on his seeming intransigence on the question of giving negotiations a chance in West Asia. The show of displeasure could be really aimed by Trump at containing the impatience of the American public.

However, the current ground situation in the Middle East, particularly the uncontained bloodshed, is likely to impress on the thinking sections of the world that more than temporary political change is needed in West Asia and the US.

A well thought out political solution that addresses all the contentious issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict is what enlightened opinion would demand, and very rightly. Right now, the ‘peace efforts’ initiated by the Trump administration give the impression of being piecemeal solutions at best.

There have been, of course, numerous initiatives in the past aimed at bringing permanent peace to the Middle East. These failed mainly because they did not address in full the root causes of the conflict.

At bottom the Middle East conflict is mainly about race and religious hate bred by socio-economic and material inequalities. For instance, if the Palestinian people were not displaced and deprived of land occupied by them at the time of the founding of the Israeli state, ethnic enmities would not have grown to the current unmanageable proportions.

When addressing the above questions, though, it must be remembered that the Israelis too were a displaced people who were entitled to land and a state of their own in the Middle East. Basically, out of these seemingly irreconcilable and conflicting demands have grown the Middle East imbroglio.

Middle East peace is considerably about reconciling these demands and arriving at a solution that would ensure the creation of two states that would opt for peaceful co-existence thereafter.

As long as the US does not see the need for a non-partisan solution that addresses the needs of both ethnicities and religions and goes all-out, as it were, to have it implemented, the Middle East would continue to bleed.

However, staunching the blood flow through the creation of two states would be only half the job done, though a very important part of it. More pernicious, pervasive and difficult to remedy are the inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatreds that have been unleashed over the decades.

However, if substantial, long-lasting peace is to be fostered in the region the latter ‘demons’ would need to be exorcised from the hearts and minds of the communities concerned. No doubt an uphill task but one that must be undertaken by those who wish the region well.

The UN would need to put its ‘best foot forward’ in such undertakings but it is time that it dawned on the international community and other caring quarters that Middle East peace, and all other such uphill challenges, require proactive peacemaking on the part of all civilized sections for their effective management. That is, public involvement in peacemaking too is a must.

Since hatreds are harboured in the human consciousness the enmities embedded in the latter need to be managed and defused judiciously alongside other undertakings in a peace process. In the case of West Asia, such enmities could be even spread globe-wide besides being multi-dimensional. For instance, it ought to be thought-provoking that Iran is insistent on a peace initiative that would also include Lebanon.

Besides security considerations it is also ethnic and religious affiliations that account for Iran making this demand. For instance, the Shias are a numerically important religious community in Lebanon and they provide a significant number of Hizbollah fighters, who are in a vital sense carrying out a ‘proxy war’ for Iran. It also needs to be factored in that Iran is a Shia-majority country.

Thus trans-border religious affiliations could add to the complexities and enormity of ethno-religious conflicts. However, the task of managing centuries-long enmities needs to be launched and prodded on with by peacemakers since a downing of arms alone would not guarantee substantive peace.

It is not realized sufficiently that the process of ending hatreds begins with mutual apologies by antagonists to a conflict for the harm inflicted on each other. This would be anathema in some ears but there is no getting away from the requirement. It is the vital first step to permanent peace anywhere.

In fact there could be no reconciliation worth speaking of without such mutual apologies. It is a point worth re-iterating in these times when even the government of Sri Lanka is voicing the need for national reconciliation. Well, without the words, ‘I am sorry’, there could be no permanent end to enmities – they would do well to remember.

The above requirements may not go down very well with governments, but they resonate in the hearts and minds of most people, since they are inheritors of religious traditions of some kind.

This is a principal reason why peacemaking works well when publics too are involved in them. The effectiveness of such campaigns increases several fold when they have a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jawaharlal Nehru at their helm. A strong proactive involvement by the public in peace could lead to the emergence of such leaders at some point in these campaigns.

Features

Dialog Brings Sri Lanka’s Largest Digital Vesak Experience to Matara

Published

17 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

From left to right: Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, and Lasantha Theverapperuma experience the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered VR tours.

Official Digital Partner of the 2026 ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, collaborated with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to bring one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically advanced Vesak experiences to the ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone. The three-day celebration, in Matara attracted more than hundred thousand visitors, who engaged with a series of innovative digital activities powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, digital pandols and a Data Dansala. The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, along with distinguished guests and Dialog’s senior management.

One of the key attractions at the venue was the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered Virtual Reality (VR) experience, which attracted more than 35,000 participants. The activation enabled devotees to virtually visit and pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, including the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India and the Atamasthana in Anuradhapura, directly from the Vesak zone in Matara.

Visitors receive complimentary mobile data through Dialog’s QR-powered Data Dansala.

Dialog also conducted an AI Digital Vesak Greeting Card Competition from 21 May to 01 June 2026, attracting numerous entries from across the country. The shortlisted designs were showcased across 20 large LED screens throughout the venue and across Matara City, and were also made available for download via mobile devices. Further, through the use of AI, traditional Jathaka Katha were reimagined in a digital format, demonstrating how technology can be used to preserve and enhance cultural and religious heritage. Together, these initiatives blended traditional Vesak celebrations with emerging technologies, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to engage with Vesak traditions.

Extending the spirit of Vesak through connectivity, Dialog conducted a special Data Dansala powered by its QR Reload platform, enabling visitors to receive complimentary mobile data by scanning QR codes placed across the venue. In addition to the Matara National Vesak Zone, similar Data Dansala activations were also conducted at the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones in Colombo.Visitors also had the opportunity to create personalised Vesak-themed digital photos through an AI Photo Booth, generating AI-enhanced portraits using their own photographs and adding a contemporary digital element to the Vesak celebrations.

Visitors watch AI-generated Jathaka Katha

Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, said, “The 2026 Dakshina Prabha Vesak Festival marked the first time AI-powered digital innovations were incorporated into a National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Presenting Buddhist stories and teachings through technology created a new and engaging way for visitors to connect with these traditions. We thank Dialog for supporting this initiative and for working closely with us to bring our vision to life. Their contribution played an important role in making this first-of-its-kind event a reality.”

Lasantha Theverapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We thank the Government of Sri Lanka for the opportunity to support the 2026 Dakshina Prabha National Vesak Festival and for embracing technology as part of this year’s celebrations. As the Official Digital Partner, we were privileged to contribute through our Dialog 5G Ultra and AI capabilities, creating new ways for visitors to engage with Vesak traditions while preserving their cultural significance for future generations.”

Beyond supporting the National Vesak Zone in Matara, Dialog also enhanced the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones through a range of digital activations during the Vesak season. The company additionally continued its sustainability initiatives, including the Thirasara Aloka Poojawa, which illuminated rural places of worship through solar-powered lighting solutions.

Features

Beauty, elegance and talent…for women

Published

17 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Universal Woman is an international pageant focused on “beauty, elegance, and talent” for women, positioning itself as a platform to shape global ambassadors. The 2026 edition will be held in Cambodia, and Sri Lanka will be there, as well.

According to reports coming my way, contestants, at the international event, will work with industry trailblazers, under international standards.

Sri Lankan supermodel, runway and pageant trainer Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, is the National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026.

With over two decades in the industry, Chula was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, and has since shaped the next generation of titleholders through her Colombo-based Chulpadmendra Catwalk Studio, widely regarded as one of the country’s leading modelling academies.

The team behind Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026

A former host of Derana Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2008 and a judge for Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025, Chula now serves as National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026, leading the franchise’s search for Sri Lanka’s delegate to the international final in Cambodia.

Applications for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 are being taken, via WhatsApp: 077 659 4994, says Chula.

The judging panel for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 includes Senaka De Silva, Pageant Aesthetic Advisor & Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Angela Seneviratne, Caroline Jurie, Rozelle Plunkett, and Suraj Mapa.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 officially began its journey with a first round of auditions, held in Colombo, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Sri Lanka’s pageant industry.

Launching the first round of auditions

The platform aims to empower women while selecting an intelligent, confident, and inspiring representative to compete at the Universal Woman International Pageant 2026 in Cambodia, this September.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka now moves forward with the vision of creating one of the country’s most prestigious and empowering pageants while preparing to crown a queen who will proudly represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.