Business

SL’s education sector, ‘key battleground for long term economic recovery’

Published

2 years ago

2024/10/18

By Ifham Nizam

As Sri Lanka faces the aftershocks of multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn and the Easter Sunday attacks, the country’s education sector has become a key battleground for securing long-term economic recovery, according to Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Research Fellow Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne.

In an expert panel discussion recently in Colombo, IPS stakeholders explored the critical role of education in building a skilled workforce, while also highlighting the immense challenges that must be addressed to turn education into a catalyst for growth.

Weeraratne said that with Sri Lanka suffering a negative growth rate of 6.7% by the third quarter of 2023, the labour market remains one of the hardest-hit areas.

Weeraratne added: “As wages stagnate, the incentive for workers to improve their skills or seek better employment dwindles, feeding into a cycle of low productivity. Thus crisis management has prompted emergency measures, like the five-year no-pay leave policy for public sector employees.” However, she explained that these are short-term fixes that do not address the deeper structural issues plaguing the labour market.

Weeraratne stressed that education is seen as a powerful tool to break this cycle, but the sector itself has been grappling with severe disruptions and underfunding, she said, adding that Sri Lanka’s education system is crucial in fostering productivity and innovation, but it faces serious hurdles.

Her presentation delved into the many challenges facing education. From the 2019 Easter bomb attacks to the pandemic and ongoing economic crises, these external pressures have led to a decrease in education investments, depreciating resources, and the adoption of outdated approaches that struggle to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labour market.

IPS, Director of Research, Dr. Nisha Arunatilake said that one alarming statistic revealed that while 97% of children aged 5 to 16 are enrolled in school, a significant proportion—especially those with special needs or from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds—are left behind. After the compulsory education age of 16, participation drops drastically, with only 63% qualifying for advanced level exams and just 20% attending university due to capacity issues.

She noted that Sri Lanka’s education system is ill-equipped to handle the demands of an evolving job market driven by technological change. `The need for highly skilled workers is growing, but 65% of 20 to 24-year-olds are not engaged in any form of education, leading to a poorly skilled workforce. While the government has made efforts to introduce vocational training, these programs have not scaled up sufficiently to address the needs of the economy.’

Worse still, she said, the quality of education is lagging. A 2019 study by NEREC revealed that students’ English and mathematics skills are well below international standards. Students scored an average of just 34% in English and a dismal 20% in mathematics, signaling a serious gap in the education system’s ability to prepare children for a globalized, technology-driven future.

Arunatilake added: `Compounding the issue is the unequal allocation of resources across Sri Lanka’s education system. Elite schools receive the majority of well-trained teachers, while rural schools, which often serve lower-income families, suffer from poor staffing and inadequate resources. Meanwhile, policy inconsistency—driven by frequent changes in education ministers and short-term priorities—has stymied long-term progress.’

‘Given the current economic constraints, while increasing funding is ideal, it is not feasible in the short term. Instead, innovative low-cost solutions could offer a way forward. Examples could be given from Pakistan, where technology is being leveraged to provide education to children with special needs and virtual labs are being used in rural areas to deliver hands-on learning experiences.

‘Stronger governance and better allocation of resources are needed. Sri Lanka’s education system has suffered from weak policy implementation and political interference. Improving governance, addressing resource inequalities, and strengthening disaster risk management are among the key recommendations.

‘While Sri Lanka’s education system faces formidable challenges, it remains a pivotal force in rebuilding the nation’s economy. If the government can implement effective reforms and tap into technological solutions, the country could better equip its youth with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital and globalized world.’

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Business

Sri Lanka’s first generative AI‑powered, trilingual insurance assistant

Published

14 hours ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation General Limited (SLICGL) unveiled Beechat, the country’s first generative AI‑powered insurance assistant, heralding a milestone for Sri Lanka’s insurance industry and move towards digital services.

Beechat is designed to transform the customer experience. Available through the SLICGL website (https://www.slicgeneral.com/) and customer portal, the Assistant offers customers instant access to policy information, real-time claim status updates, and insurance-related help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For customers, Beechat makes insurance simpler and always available. Instead of waiting in queues, calling hotlines, or being limited to business hours, customers can check policies, track claims, and receive instant answers in Sinhala, Tamil, or English, empowering every customer, whatever their language, to manage their insurance with ease.

The inclusivity ensures every customer, regardless of language preference, can engage with insurance services seamlessly. The AI‑driven platform reduces complexity, eliminates delays, and builds trust. Ultimately, Beechat transforms insurance from a process often seen as slow and complicated into a smooth digital journey that fits modern lifestyles.

The launch of SLICGL Beechat is strategically important for the organization because it strengthens its position as a leader in innovation within Sri Lanka’s insurance industry. Introducing the country’s first generative AI‑powered, trilingual insurance assistant, SLICGL demonstrates a commitment to digital transformation and technology‑driven service excellence.

The initiative reaffirms the company as forward‑thinking and customer‑centric and differentiating from competitors who still rely on traditional service models. It signals to industry stakeholders that SLICGL is setting new standards for accessibility, efficiency, and convenience in insurance.

Pioneering AI‑driven customer engagement, the company sets a new benchmark. Beechat demonstrates how technology can elevate insurance from a traditional service into a dynamic, futuristic experience, strengthening SLICGL’s relationship with the people it services. (SLICGL)

Business

‘Lanka Tractors returns with a historic Colombo 11 showroom’

Published

14 hours ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

Lanka Tractors Limited officially reopened its original showroom in Colombo 11, marking the return of one of Sri Lanka’s most recognised agricultural machinery companies and the official launch of the ACE Tractor brand in the country.

Located at 343 Olcott Mawatha, Colombo 11, the showroom was ceremonially declared open by Chief Guest Dudley Sirisena, Chairman of the Araliya Group of Companies, in the presence of Upul Jayasuriya, Chairman of Lanka Tractors Limited, Thilina Abeysuriya, Managing Director, Nishantha Yapa, Head of Business, and Rajiv Gunawardena, CEO of Asia Asset Finance PLC.

Originally established in 1971 as the State Trading (Tractor) Corporation, Lanka Tractors was restructured in 1991 and became one of Sri Lanka’s largest importers and distributors of agricultural machinery. Over the decades, the company represented internationally renowned brands including Massey Ferguson, Kubota and TAFE, earning the trust of generations of Sri Lankan farmers through quality products, technical expertise and dependable after-sales support. The reopening of its original Colombo 11 showroom, first established in 1982, marks the revival of an institution that has played a pivotal role in the mechanisation of Sri Lankan agriculture for more than five decades.

The company’s revival commenced in late 2025 through an exclusive partnership with ACE Tractors, the agricultural division of Action Construction Equipment (ACE) Limited, one of India’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies. ACE manufactures tractors, agricultural machinery, construction equipment and industrial equipment, with annual production capacity exceeding 9,000 tractors, exports to more than 37 countries, and a dealer and service network spanning over 100 locations worldwide.

Prior to the commercial launch, Lanka Tractors adopted an extensive validation programme to ensure the products were ideally suited to Sri Lankan farming conditions. Three introductory models—the ACE VEER 3000 (26 HP 4WD), ACE DI 350 NG (40 HP 2WD) and ACE DI 450 NG (45 HP 4WD)—underwent rigorous field testing across multiple agricultural regions under the supervision of ACE technical specialists. Following several product refinements based on local operating conditions, the tractors were introduced to the market in April 2026.

Business

Akurugraphy exhibition opens at Geoffrey Bawa Space in Colombo

Published

14 hours ago

2026/07/10

Thilina Walpola

The desire to communicate and be understood is at the heart of what it is to be human. In contemporary life, digital infrastructure underpins how we work, live, and share information, but the letterforms that carry our languages are rarely neutral.

Arkurugraphy, a new exhibition at the Geoffrey Bawa Space, explores the history, culture, and future of letterforms across Sri Lanka’s three official languages. Presenting the decade-long practice of Colombo-based type foundry Mooniak, it examines how decisions about the digitisation of Sinhala, Tamil, and Latin scripts impact legibility and carry deep consequences for who is seen, who is heard, and whose language endures.

Writing systems carry human thought and knowledge across time and space. Letterforms can become a form of cultural artefact, unique graphic symbols representing identity and belonging. Today, these inherited letterforms often take shape as digital fonts, their design demanding fluency across history, aesthetics, linguistics, and technical standards. Akurugraphy asks audiences to look at letterforms beyond the act of reading: to appreciate their form, trace their past, and consider the decisions that impact their future.

Akurugraphy brings together typographic specimens, archival material, and software development spanning Mooniak’s full body of practice. It is a celebration of letterforms as art and an examination of the technical and political stakes of designing scripts for the digital age. As part of the exhibition, the Geoffrey Bawa Space will host a programme of monthly talks, curatorial tours, workshops, and children’s programmes.

Akurugraphy is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., and will be on view until 8 November 2026. The exhibition is designed to be accessible and welcoming to all visitors. The Geoffrey Bawa Space offers step-free access and wheelchair accessible facilities. Tactile elements are available throughout the exhibition. More information is available at geoffreybawa.com/akurugraphy .