Business
International ‘Mother Language’ Day and Multilingual Education in Sri Lanka
Ayubowan Wanakkam Good morning!
International Mother Language Day is celebrated on 21 February every year by UNESCO and the UN to highlight the significance of languages in advancing human and social development. The theme for 2024 is “Multilingual education – a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning” which is crucial for inclusive education and to preserve and develop indigenous languages.
How does this theme relate to Sri Lanka? This paper outlines a few issues for consideration.
Issues related to multilingual education.
Psychological issues:
Have we considered psychological principles when introducing language policies to Sri Lanka? For example, it is well-known that concepts are best learned using the mother tongue. We know that bilingualism helps in the intellectual development of children. There is an optimum age to learn a second language, and it differs depending on the linguistic characteristics of the mother tongue and the second language. Does this mean primary education in Sri Lanka should be mainly in Sinhala and Tamil? What is the optimum ‘intellectual age’ to introduce a second or third language in school?
Despite some evidence that bilingualism leads to ‘higher intelligence’, demands for monolingual English education is growing. Should academia, educationists and the government cautiously educate the public on the matter?
Social issues:
In Sri Lanka, teaching of English includes a dose of British or Western culture. The dose is higher in international schools, because the subjects taught follow overseas curricula. The content they study, the history they learn and the values they inculcate are different from the local realities. Are we witnessing the emergence of a ‘new ethnic group’ in Sri Lanka with its own form of Western culture, behavioral practices, and belief systems? What are its social implications? What do sociologists and psychloigist have to say about this?
In Sri Lanka, English fluency is used unfairly as a basis of discrimination. It leads to intelligent students being unjustly denied employment opportunities due to poor English proficiency. English is known in Sinhala slang as ‘Kaduva’, i.e., the sword that cuts people. Meritocracy is often replaced by Anglocracy. While many in Sri Lanka protest about nepotism and corruption, generations of talented voiceless children are discriminated against because they are not fluent in English. Civil society groups (often dominated by English-speaking groups) appear to be silent. Why is this so?
Educational issues:
Education in Sri Lanka is divided on linguistic lines and a majority of state schools are monolingual, either Sinhala or Tamil. A few are bilinguial (Sinhala and Tamil) or English with Sinhala or Tamil, limited mainly to a few elite schools. What are the policies to transition towards a more integrated bilingual or trilingual education system that simultaneously preserves and develops the mother-language and culture of the child?
Is it time to review the the policy of introducing English streams to some of the schools? This may have inadvertently led to widening of inequalities. In some schools, the English medium classes are filled with the students having social connections and the best teachers are allocated to them, widening of intra-school inequalities and fostered resentments. If true, what is the policy we propose? Have we considered transliteration as an interim measure? For example could we use Engligh technical terms from Ordinary Level onwards, while retaining the explnatory texts in Sinhala or Tamil?
Hundreds of village schools and poorer urban schools suffer from a shortage of qualified English teachers. These children are not fluent in English for no fault of theirs. The fault is in the gross inequalities in education facilities in English. What steps do we propose to bridge this gap in the shortest possible time?
Almost a third of students (around 33%) fail English as a subject in the G.C.E. Examination!. How do we address this issue of widening access to ‘English for communication’? Should we aim for universal improvements in English for communications, rather than English streams in schools? Should we reintroduce a national program using social media, radio, CDs, and TV to reach the remote areas?
Other issues
What steps are we to take to preserve the indigenous language of the Veddhas? What about the dilect of Creole? Are we allowing extinction of these langauge? What about the different dialects of Sinhala and Tamil?
How would artificial intelligence (AI) help in multilingualism? India is translating many regional languages to English using AI. Are we investing in a similar project? Considering the global shifts in economic center of gravity, should we invest more on teaching Hindi and Chinese?
Sri Lanka’s language education policies need review and a broader discussion. We have some hope. The event to celebrate International Mother Language Day on 21st February organized by the Department of Sinhala, University of Ruhuna, in collaboration with the National Institute of Language Education and Training (NILET), from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the SLFI could mark a new beginning…
Dr Saroj Jayasinghe
Emeritus Professor of Medicine
Consultant Physician
PS
These are the author’s own views and not of his employers
Business
Sri Lanka Tourism makes a strong impression at CMT 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany
Sri Lanka Tourism marked its presence at CMT 2026, held in Stuttgart, Germany, one of the largest consumer travel fairs in Europe. The Sri Lanka Stand accommodated representatives from the local tourism industry, providing a valuable platform to connect directly with the German travel community, particularly travellers with long-haul travel intentions.
Sri Lanka’s participation at CMT 2026 enabled direct engagement with consumers and helped stimulate interest in exploring the country’s diverse and year-round travel experiences. This presence addressed a long-standing need for Sri Lanka Tourism to participate in major consumer-focused travel platforms, effectively taking destination promotion directly to the travellers’ doorstep.
A wide range of travel packages, customised itineraries, accommodation options, and experiential offerings were presented to interested German consumers by Sri Lankan DMCs, under the umbrella of Sri Lanka Tourism. The platform also allowed potential travellers to clarify concerns and queries related to planning travel to Sri Lanka through direct, face-to-face interactions with industry professionals.
These direct engagements enabled Sri Lankan industry participants to gain valuable insights into emerging travel interests, changing consumer behaviour, and evolving customer expectations in the German market. The face-to-face discussions with end consumers strengthened the industry’s understanding of demand trends and product requirements.
Strategically, Sri Lanka Tourism’s focus on B2C promotions serves as a catalyst for strengthening B2B platforms, ensuring that final decision-makers—the travellers—are actively engaged alongside trade partners. This alignment enhances the overall effectiveness of trade collaborations. Well-designed consumer promotion activities, including giveaways, contests, experiential engagements, and cultural performances, created emotional connections with visitors, improved destination recall, and reinforced Sri Lanka’s positioning as a compelling long-haul destination. (Sri Lanka Tourism)
Business
Adora raises the bar for hospital-backed aesthetic care in Wattala
Dr. Piyumini Gunasekara on advanced non surgical treatments
Hemas Hospitals has strengthened its regional healthcare positioning with the launch of Adora Cosmetic Centre at Hemas Hospital Wattala, introducing a hospital-backed, clinically governed model of aesthetic medicine at a time when South Asia’s cosmetic sector is expanding faster than regulation.
Unlike standalone cosmetic clinics, Adora is fully integrated into the Hemas Hospital ecosystem, embedding aesthetic services within hospital-grade infrastructure, multidisciplinary medical support and internationally aligned clinical governance.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Lakith Peiris, Managing Director of Hemas Hospitals & Labs, said the centre represents a deliberate shift in strategy.
“Adora is not about cosmetic enhancement alone. It is built on protocols, trained clinicians and governance. As healthcare providers scale across the region, safety and medical credibility must remain non-negotiable,” he told The Island Financial Review.
The centre is positioned as a health-class facility, combining advanced aesthetic technologies with evidence-based medical pathways. This approach addresses growing regional concerns over unregulated cosmetic practices, offering patients reassurance through professional oversight and ethical medical standards.
Prabhan Gunawardena, Director General Manager of Hemas Hospital Wattala, said the initiative reflects both clinical responsibility and business foresight.
“The cosmetic industry is evolving rapidly across South Asia. Adora demonstrates how innovation can be scaled responsibly when anchored in medical expertise and hospital governance,” he said.
Detailing the centre’s scope, Dr. Piyumini Gunasekara, Medical Officer – Adora Cosmetic Centre, said treatments are designed to address medical and aesthetic concerns through personalised, evidence-based care.
She told The Island Financial Review:”We offer advanced non-surgical treatments for concerns such as hyperpigmentation, acne and acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, collagen loss, enlarged pores, rosacea, UV damage, excessive sweating, warts and moles. Every procedure is clinically assessed and delivered within a hospital-backed framework to ensure safe and sustainable outcomes.”
Clinical governance remains central to operations, reinforced by Dr. Malith Atapattu, Director – Medical Services and Quality, who highlighted the importance of protocol-driven care in a sector often challenged by inconsistent standards.
As Sri Lanka positions itself as a regional healthcare and medical tourism destination, hospital-led aesthetic centres such as Adora signal a broader industry shift—where growth is aligned with governance, trust and long-term sustainability.
For Hemas Hospitals, Adora represents a calculated entry into a high-growth segment without compromising medical integrity. For the region, it underscores a clear message: the future of aesthetic care lies in hospital-backed, clinically governed models—not cosmetic shortcuts.
By Ifham Nizam
Business
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Representing the iconic brands of Ceylon Cold Stores PLC (CCS), Keells Food Products PLC (KFP), and Colombo Ice Company (CICL), JKCF has long been recognized for its rich legacy of innovation and leadership in beverages, frozen confectionery, and processed foods. Its long-standing focus on people capability and performance culture continues to fuel industry-leading achievements, with the latest recognition at SLIM NSA 2025 marking one of the largest collective wins by a single organization in the event’s history.
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