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The landmark event was the official launch of the Public Learning Education Platform for the Sri Lankan youth community http://www.publiclearn.lk/ yesterday (13th) at the Conference Hall of the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Public Learn is a platform that connects users to free courses from the world’s top universities. The platform is run by Regent Global and funded by the Sri Lankan diaspora in the UK to bring these resources to Sri Lanka.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has officially launched www.publiclearn.lk, a new education platform that aims to transform the learning landscape in Sri Lanka.
The President stressed the importance of adapting to a knowledge-intensive society and emphasized that Sri Lanka has achieved excellent educational outcomes despite various systemic deficiencies. He noted that the new platform will improve the efficiency of the education system and stressed that Sri Lanka must rapidly advance digitalization to drive a new economic transformation.
He further stressed the need for the Economic Transformation Act, which requires a shift in mindset. He said PublicLearn.lk is an important tool to achieve this by providing more after-school learning opportunities that are not restricted by traditional classrooms. This digital platform can also help address the lack of skilled, experienced teachers in the classroom, paving the way for many Sri Lankans to develop and transform the country.
President Wickremesinghe stressed that public learning platforms are an important tool in helping many Sri Lankans achieve personal progress and transform the country. He reviewed Sri Lanka’s three historical learning journeys: the first phase was the era of Allahat Mahinda and the Pirivina system; the second phase was the introduction of the British public school system; and now, the third phase with the emergence of digital education platforms such as Public Learning. He stressed the importance of using digital technology and knowledge to propel Sri Lanka forward in the digital economy, emphasizing the need to constantly adapt and innovate.
The President expressed his gratitude to Dr. Selva Pankaj and Regent Global for providing this opportunity for the benefit of the people of Sri Lanka.
In his supplementary remarks, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said,
“First of all, I must thank Dr. Selva Pankaj for the gift he brought to Sri Lanka. I call it reconciliation. We live in a knowledge-intensive society. In such a society, if we want to make progress, we should also join the competition and be at the top. It is not difficult for Sri Lanka; I think our educational achievements are good.
No matter how many flaws there are in the education system, we still did it. Now, this will help us make better use of the education system. In fact, Sir Gavin described the goal of such a plan very well in this platform.
In any case, the Economic Transformation Act requires a shift in our thinking. This is certainly one of the means by which we can achieve this goal. We must also get used to the fact that there will be more and more post-secondary learning opportunities without classrooms and walls. This is what we are doing, even in classrooms, so that we can overcome the shortage of skilled, experienced teachers.
Therefore, it is undoubtedly a tool that has paved the way for a large number of Sri Lankans to achieve progress and change the country.
We are good at learning and our learning went through three stages. First, when Arahath Mahinda brought Buddhism, Pirivena came with it. Senarath Paranawithana said that those who failed to become Arahath spent their time designing canals, dagabas, Sigiriya and other buildings we have and contributed to the sanitation system.
Secondly, the British came here and established the public school system. Now, this system has spread all over the country; this is what we call Mahavidyalays, Madhya Mahavidyalaya, even what we call prestigious schools and national schools. The whole system came here and we adapted to learning again, just like we did two hundred years ago.
The third phase of learning has arrived; we learned the system, we learned English, we progressed, and now we are entering the third phase of learning, which is to use knowledge on open platforms, to digitize the education system. We are looking at the digital economy, at using the latest knowledge, because Sri Lanka can only progress if we use our brains to think. This is, of course, what we call reprogramming.”
Sir Gavin Williamson, former UK Education Secretary, also delivered a virtual speech at the event, praising the President’s enlightened vision of prioritizing education, stressing that this effort not only benefits individuals but is also of national interest in the long run. The initiative aims to provide broad educational opportunities for people of all ages, recognizing that in a globalized and competitive world, having a skilled and well-educated population is essential.
The platform is expected to be a cornerstone of President Wickremesinghe’s legacy and have a significant impact on the lives and future of the people of Sri Lanka. By developing the critical mass of talent needed to compete globally, the program aims to transform lives in ways unimaginable a generation ago.
Sir Williamson acknowledged the President’s vision and willingness to invest in new ideas and expressed gratitude for the opportunities Sri Lanka has provided.
Dr. Selva Pankaj, CEO of Regent Global, expressed his gratitude to President Ranil Wickremesinghe for his support for the program aimed at promoting the transformation of Sri Lanka’s new economy. Dr. Pankaj highlighted the President’s dedication to serving the people of Sri Lanka as a former Prime Minister and current President, praising him as a role model.
He further said that President Wickremesinghe has led Sri Lanka through difficult times, including recent economic instability, with inflation reaching 70% in 2022. Dr. Pankaj and his wife are proud to contribute to the President’s efforts to improve the quality of life of Sri Lankans. It is noteworthy that they spent their formative years in Sri Lanka and later went to the UK due to the civil war, but their ties to their homeland remain strong.
Although they left their homeland at the ages of 13 and 19, their loyalty to their country remained unwavering and they had a strong desire to contribute to the future development of Sri Lanka. Dr. Pankaj thanked President Wickremesinghe for providing them with the opportunity to do so through the programme.
The event was attended by Minister of State for Science and Technology Kanaka Herat, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Chairman of University Grants Commission Professor Sampat Amaratunga, Sri Lanka High Commissioner to the UK Rohita Bogragama, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick, Eastern Province Governor Sensir Tundaman, former Minister John Amaratunga, Chairman of Board of Investment Dinesh Weerakody, Director of Presidential Special Projects Tikshana Abeywardena, Tarshani Pankaj, ambassadors, high commissioners, diplomatic officials and other dignitaries.
Posts President launches Sri Lanka Youth Public Learning Education Platform First appeared in Daily News.
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